Toolkit: Hands Off Our Vital Resources

Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans advanced a budget resolution that paves the way for massive tax cuts for the wealthy— paid for by stripping away services people rely on. Specifically  their plan calls for $2 trillion in harmful cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and student loan programs while adding $4.5 trillion to the deficit to fund tax breaks for the rich. These cuts are dangerous, threatening the well-being of families and communities.

This toolkit provides essential messaging guidance, key talking points, digital content, and the latest news updates on the dangerous consequences of this budget plan.

• State that Trump and republicans are cutting popular programs people rely on

• Focus on cuts to healthcare/Medicaid, preschool/childcare, and services for seniors

• Explain the “why”: to give massive tax breaks to billionaires that got him elected

• Donald Trump and Speaker Johnson are only looking out for the special interests that got them elected – while the rest of us foot the bill. We have to come together and take action to stop his tax breaks for the wealthy, cuts to Medicare and Social Security, and risky proposals that will increase costs for middle class families. 

• Donald Trump and Republicans’ tax plans will hurt the middle class and American families. Defunding our education system, cutting food stamps, and cutting healthcare for veterans, seniors in assisted living facilities, and children with disabilities. All at the expense of giving the rich and big corporations massive tax cuts. 

• Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, are slashing programs that American families rely on. They’ve cut money for schools, aid to farmers, and funding for healthcare. At the same time, they’re making it easier for big banks and credit card companies to rip you off. 

• Cutting health care, food assistance, and student loans would not only harm families immediately but also lead to long-term negative impacts. Losing Medicaid means people will go without essential treatments, and cuts to SNAP will lead to increased food insecurity and health challenges for children.

• Student loan cuts make higher education more expensive by increasing loan interest and potentially cutting funding for college grants. This would make it harder for families to afford education, adding more financial burden on students and their families.

• Extreme Giveaway to the Wealthy: The House budget contains over $4 trillion in tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy at the expense of families already struggling with the cost of living. Half the tax benefits in this budget would go to high-income households, while low-income families would bear the brunt of the spending cuts, losing access to essential services like food and health coverage. (CBPP 2/21)

• Massive Cuts to Vital Social Programs: The House plan mandates deep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, student loans, and school meals. These cuts would directly harm low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

• Higher Costs for Families: As a result of the cuts, families would face higher costs for things like healthcare, food, and paying for college.

• Cuts to Essential Services: The House budget proposes cuts to dozens of vital government services such as school funding, medical research, clean air and water protection, and Social Security services.

• Fiscally Irresponsible: Both the House and Senate plans will increase the deficit by trillions.  (NPR)

• Work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP would cause disproportionate harm to the most vulnerable: low-income adults, parents, people with disabilities, and the elderly (CBPP)

• Healthcare access (through Medicaid) and hunger prevention (through SNAP) impact basic human needs. Advocating for these programs is not only about economics but about ensuring that people can live with dignity and security.

• Every district in the country will be affected by these cuts, either directly or through the ripple effect on local healthcare systems, food banks, and community services.

• Instead of cutting services and giving tax cuts to the wealthy, Congress should focus on expanding access to job training, childcare, and educational opportunities as real solutions for helping people move toward stable employment.

• VIRTUAL EVENT: What’s Next in the Fight?

• Take Action With Hands Off

• GUIDE: How to Plan Your Event 

• Congress: Save Medicaid Now

Hands Off Our Vital Resources Content

• All Votes

• House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid to Pay for Expanded Tax Cuts for Wealthy

• Medicaid Enrollment in the U.S., by Congressional District

• Medicaid/CHIP Coverage by Congressional District, 2023

• House Republican Budget Plans Would Cut Social Security Benefits

• Here’s What to Know About Congressional Republicans’ Budget Plans

• Budget Resolution

• 12.4% of Ohio households depend on SNAP for food, that’s 1.4 million recipients, including children, living in over 611,000 households at risk of losing some or all benefits.

• Ohio residents receive $3.178 billion in total SNAP benefits annually.

• If this proposal advances, Ohio recipients will lose a total of $7.788 billion in benefits over 10 years.

• 10,100 Ohio retailers are at risk of losing revenue.

• 770,793 Ohioans are enrolled in Medicaid under the expansion program (Group VIII). 

• If Congress reduces the federal funding rate from 90% to a lower rate (closer to the typical 62.5%), Ohio would face billions of dollars in additional costs. 

• The pending state operating budget (HB 96) includes a provision that would immediately end Medicaid coverage for these individuals if the federal share drops below 90%. 

• This means that if the federal funding decreases, hundreds of thousands of low-income Ohioans could lose their health coverage very quickly.

• The Senate bill serves as a backup in case the House fails to pass its version of the bill. 

• Senate Republican leaders want the tax cuts and offsets to pay for them to wait for a second fast-track reconciliation bill, but their budget plan still sets out their broader vision by including massive unspecified cuts and huge tax cuts.

• The Senate bill focuses on border security and defense, increasing military spending by $85 billion annually for four years. It also promotes energy deregulation and continues Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including deportation and stricter border security.  (Reuters)

• Overall, the Senate resolution includes $175 billion for border security and $150 billion for military funding. (NPR) The total cost of the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 budget resolution is $340 billion.

• Importantly, the Senate bill does not include the $4.5 trillion tax cuts that Trump pushed for. Instead, it leaves the tax cuts issue to the House, which is struggling to reconcile the tax cuts with cuts to vital social programs like Medicaid and Social Security. (Reuters)

The House narrowly passed a multitrillion-dollar budget blueprint Tuesday (2.25.25), 217-215, with only Republican support. However, the process remains complex, as the House and Senate must agree on a resolution before crafting a party-line bill.