GOP Run U.S. Senate Passes Largest Cut to Food Assistance in History; Virginia Senators Looking to Prevent Second UVA Style Fiasco
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Trump Budget: GOP Controlled U.S. Senate Passes Largest Cut to Food Assistance in History
After a record number of consecutive votes over two consecutive nights, the Republican controlled U.S. Senate passed President Trump’s budget bill that includes the largest cut to food assistance in history. The bill also threatens health care coverage of over 15 million Americans.
“This is a reversal of so much progress we’ve had. Under Biden Harris we reduced childhood poverty in half, this rolls that back,” said Jotaka Eaddy, the founder of Win With Black Women.
“This bill takes health care away from 16 million Americans,” State of the People founder Angela Rye pointed out. The two were on a marathon State of the People broadcast that featured Black religions, political and community leaders.
The Senate passed Trump’s budget bill with the assistance of a tie-breaking vote from Vice President J.D. Vance. The legislation now goes to the U.S. House. Many in Virginia will be closely watching two members of the Virginia congressional delegation: GOP Reps. Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman.
President Trump is focused on undoing the work of President Biden. The legislation passed by the Senate repeals the inflation reduction act and cuts the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIPS) that provides low-cost health coverage to children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but who cannot afford private insurance.
President Trump is also focused on giving a tax cut to the wealthiest Americans in the country.
“Republicans jammed through a partisan megabit that slashes Medicaid, nutrition assistance and other critical programs,” wrote Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) after the vote.
“Republicans have jammed through a cruel and callous bill that will rip health care and food assistance away from millions of Americans. All so Donald Trump can give massive tax breaks to his billionaire donors. It’s a gutting betrayal of working class Americans,” stated Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) after the bill passed
The legislation extends the 2017 tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the rich, it overhauls who is eligible for Medicaid and food stamps and adds paperwork that is likely to reduce program eligibility and it phases out green energy tax credits. The bill also adds 4.5 trillion to the debt according to most estimates.
Three Republican Senators voted against the bills: Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
"My hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we're not there yet," Sen. Murkowski said after voting for the bill. Though there are members in the Republican House Freedom Caucus who don’t agree with aspects of the legislation, it is likely to pass.
Below: The State of the People broadcast continues as Congress votes on Trump’s budget
JULY 4, 2025 🧨 CELEBRATIONS IN VIRGINIA
7/2 – Franklin Independence Day Celebration – Franklin
7/2 – Vienna’s Independence Day Celebration – Vienna
7/2-7/5 – Stanley Homecoming – Stanley
7/3 – Chesapeake July 3rd Celebration – Chesapeake
7/3 – Freedom Food Festival – Lexington
7/3 – Freedom Festival – Roanoke
7/3 – Country Americana Festival – Spotsylvania Courthouse
7/3-7/5 – Totally Tribute Music Fest – Virginia Beach
7/4 – Cape Charles 4th of July Street Fair – Cape Charles
7/4 – South Norfolk July 4th Parade and Picnic in the Park – Chesapeake
7/4 – Chesterfield Fourth of July Celebration – Chesterfield
7/4 – Christiansburg Fourth of July Celebration – Christiansburg
7/4 – Danville Celebrates Fourth of July – Danville
7/4 – Red, White and Lights – Glen Allen
7/4 – Independence Day at Poplar Forest – Lynchburg
7/4 – Celebrate America 4th of July – Manassas
Dems Looking to Prevent Second Trump/UVA Type Fiasco
By Nathaniel Cline. University of Virginia president Jim Ryan’s abrupt resignation in the midst of federal pressure on the school to end its DEI initiatives set off a firestorm of controversy, with Virginia Democratic lawmakers now pledging that they will find ways to prevent further politicization of higher education. The lawmakers said they’re reconsidering legislation to support governing boards and reevaluating the gubernatorial appointments process.
Democratic legislators started speaking against the impetus of Ryan’s resignation soon after he announced the news Friday.
“It’s just outrageous,” said Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville. “I don’t know that this sort of thing has ever happened before, where the federal government has reached down, totally around the governing structure that a sovereign state has set up for governance of its universities, and has forced this sort of change.”
On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said his colleagues are exploring all options to navigate what they framed as questionable higher education decisions made by President Donald Trump, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and their administrations, including reviewing the governor’s multiple appointments to college governing boards.
“We’ve been getting calls to stand up from people all around the commonwealth, and we have to look at these people very carefully and decide where to confirm them,” Surovell said. “When we come back in January, reform is going to be on the table, because we cannot afford to ever let this happen again,” Surrovell added, in reference to the upcoming legislative session.
The New York Times first reported that the Department of Justice claimed that UVA had merely rebranded its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts instead of eliminating them as mandated by Trump’s executive order, which warned of federal funding cuts for noncompliance.
UVA’s governing board was the first in the commonwealth to dissolve its DEI initiatives and Virginia’s efforts to challenge DEI efforts ramped up under the Youngkin administration..
In January 2022, Youngkin renamed the state Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through an executive order by replacing“equity” with “opportunity,” contrary to state code. Then in April 2023, Martin Brown, the office director appointed by Youngkin, remarked that “DEI is dead” at the Virginia Military Institute.
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