SAN FRANCISCO – A press release from Sasha Wright outlines widespread concern following the narrow passage of President Trump’s billionaire-backed budget bill on May 22, 2025. The proposal threatens deep cuts to essential services such as Medicaid, food assistance, and education—vital resources for families, seniors, and children. The bill also includes provisions that would make eligibility for these programs more difficult.
One in three San Francisco residents relies on Medi-Cal, and many depend on CalFresh for food assistance and school lunches. According to Keystone Newsroom, the bill would slash $698 billion from Medicaid and result in the loss of healthcare coverage for approximately 7.5 million Americans. The proposed savings would be redirected toward tax breaks for the wealthy, increased military spending, and expanded border enforcement—including the addition of over 10,000 border agents.
The press release also highlights local efforts to oppose the legislation. San Francisco joined a week-long emergency fast, part of a coordinated protest that began in February in Orange County and Bakersfield and resumed in May. The fast has garnered strong support from healthcare professionals and clinical staff. It targets key House Republicans—Reps. Young Kim, David Valadao, Darrell Issa, and Ken Calvert—urging them to vote in the interests of the constituents they pledged to serve.
The advocacy organization We Are California, which champions causes including immigrant rights, education, housing, healthcare, environmental justice, and fair wages, has mobilized San Francisco community members and leaders to take part in the protest.
California officials have spoken out forcefully against the bill. Assemblymember Matt Haney joined the fast on May 21, stating, “California communities deserve better.” District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen, who also joined the fast, emphasized how many residents “rely” on the services being threatened.
Lizzy Tapia, President of UNITE HERE Local 2, joined the protest alongside several former Local 2 presidents. “We won’t stand by while Congress and billionaires threaten Medicaid, food assistance, and other essential public services that millions of families depend on,” she said. Tapia referenced last year’s Local 2 strike, during which thousands of hotel workers walked off the job for over three months to defend their healthcare coverage—and won. “Hotel workers are now demanding that Congress protect the healthcare and other public services that our families need,” she added.
Lance Toma, CEO of the San Francisco Community Health Center, described Medicaid as a “lifeline” for marginalized communities and pledged to “fight tooth and nail” to preserve it.
Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern called the bill a “scam” designed to “steal from the people and hand it to Trump’s rich friends.”
An article by Reuters noted that the bill would add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt. Some analysts have speculated that this could be a strategic move to justify future cuts to social programs, especially as the debt ceiling would rise to a record $4 trillion—potentially averting a default crisis projected for the summer.
Meanwhile, Trump has celebrated the bill, calling it “arguably the most significant piece of legislation that will ever be signed in the history of our country.”
Economic projections show that the bill would reduce income for the bottom 10% of Americans while boosting income for the top 10%. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where Republicans have signaled interest in making amendments—a process that could take weeks.
Notably, the bill includes punitive measures for states that expand Medicaid in the future and imposes a new eligibility requirement that could remove millions from the program. That provision is scheduled to take effect in 2026—two years earlier than previously expected.
