Rep. Jarrells: Harmful Federal Spending Bill Targeting Wrong Priorities

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus) today issued the following statement today in response to the passage and signing of House Resolution (HR) 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. Despite its name, the $4 trillion bill is devastating for working families and vulnerable communities across the country:

“They call it beautiful. I call it brutal,” said Rep. Jarrells. “This bill gives tax breaks to billionaires and pain to everyone else. It rewards wealth while stripping away the essentials families depend on to live with dignity.”

The bill locks in permanent tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and large corporations while gutting vital programs that support everyday Americans. Billions of dollars are handed to the top, while disastrous cuts were made to Medicaid, SNAP, education funding, housing assistance, and environmental protection. The legislation also threatens access to reproductive and preventative care by pulling funding from clinics that provide cancer screenings, birth control, STD testing, and prenatal care.

“This is not abstract policy. This means a mother in Columbus might not get the prenatal care she needs. A child in Cleveland may go to bed hungry. A senior in Dayton could lose access to lifesaving medication,” said Rep. Jarrells. “This bill doesn’t balance a budget. It bankrupts our values.”

Rep. Jarrells emphasized that the bill reflects a dangerous set of priorities and called on his colleagues across the country to refocus on policies rooted in justice, compassion, and care for the people they serve. 

“I was elected to fight for the families who are too often ignored, overlooked, and left behind,” said Rep. Jarrells. “This bill turns its back on them. And I won’t be silent about it.”