Illinois legislators react to House’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ passage

Illinois legislators released the following statements Thursday after the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump’s tax breaks and spending cuts bill.

The legislation passed in a 218-214 vote with two Republicans joining all Democrats opposed.

It passed in the Senate on Tuesday with a 50-50 vote, Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie.

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood

LaHood, a Republican representing Illinois’ 16th District, voted in favor of the bill.

“Today, House Republicans voted to give rocket-fuel to the United States’ economy, provide predictability and certainty for small businesses, and deliver historic tax relief for the American people. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a generational piece of legislation that creates more opportunities to live the American Dream. The Republican bill eliminates taxes on tips, overtime, and auto loans for hardworking Americans. This legislation invests in the future of Illinois agriculture and protects high-paying manufacturing jobs in Illinois’ 16th Congressional District while boosting local economies across central and northwest Illinois. This is a win for the 16th District and the American People. I look forward to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act being sent to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law on our nation’s Independence Day.”

He listed the following as impacts on the 16th District, which stretches from the Wisconsin border to Peoria, including parts of La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, McHenry, DeKalb, Grundy, Lee and Ogle counties:

Prevents a 22% tax increase set to begin next year;
Prevents the Child Tax Credit for 69,000 families from being cut in half;
Keeps 11,000 family-owned farms from having to pay an inheritance tax;
Delivers up to a $13,500 increase in year take-home pay for a typical family of four; and
Preserves 10,000 manufacturing jobs while generating $1.6 billion in economic growth.

He identified his priorities in the bill as expanding the low-income housing tax credit, supporting farmers and the biofuels industry by extending the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit through 2029, improving access to health savings accounts, and applying the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) tip tax to salon and beauty service establishments and their employees, as is already done for restaurants.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly

Kelly, a Democrat representing Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, voted against the bill, saying, due to the $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid, 17 million Americans will lose their health care, including nearly half a million in Illinois and almost 40,000 in the 2nd District.

“House Republicans did the unconscionable: they passed the Big, Ugly Bill that would steal people’s healthcare, rob food out of children’s mouths, cut clean energy jobs, and flood our streets with dangerous weapons like gun silencers. After one call from President Trump, so-called hardline conservatives folded like cowards, voting to raise the deficit by $3.4 trillion. While House Republicans bent the knee to President Trump, every House Democrat stood up for the American people to vote no in one resounding voice.

“If people do not have healthcare, they will die. That’s not hyperbolic – that’s fact. The Big, Ugly Bill rips healthcare away from 17 million people and closes hospitals, all the while exacerbating public health crises like maternal mortality and gun violence. President Trump promised not to touch Medicaid – but he lied, and House Republicans were complicit in his scam. Shame on House Republicans, and shame on President Trump for betraying the American people.”

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten

Casten, a Democrat who represents Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, also voted no.

“This bill forces us to borrow $5 trillion to pay for a tax cut for billionaires. It will make seniors who depend on Meals on Wheels and children who get free lunch at school go hungry. It will shut down nursing homes and hospitals because of cuts to the Medicaid system. It strips over 17 million Americans of their health insurance. It raises energy costs and hurts the reliability of our electric grid.

“Why would any elected official vote for legislation that saddles the country with massive amounts of additional borrowing while simultaneously making most Americans sicker, hungrier, and poorer.

“That’s not a policy question. It’s a moral question. I voted NO because I will always put the interests of my constituents over the interests of the Trump family and their billionaire grifter friends. Those who voted for this legislation should be ashamed of themselves. The American people deserve better.”

Illinois Health and Hospital Association

The organization that lobbies on behalf of Illinois’ more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems released a statement from A.J. Wilhelmi, its president and CEO:

“The severe Medicaid cuts contained in this legislation will force hospitals to make painful decisions – including eliminating services and jobs in their communities. And make no mistake, some hospitals will be forced to close their doors.

“Communities that already face barriers to care will be hit the hardest. This legislation doesn’t just threaten hospitals—it threatens the health, stability, and future of the communities they serve. The most regrettable outcome of this legislation is the loss of healthcare for hundreds of thousands of our state’s residents. While the vast majority of the proposed Medicaid cuts will fall on hospitals, they will continue to provide care for the uninsured, consistent with their moral and legal obligations. But this will come at the cost of service and staff reductions, and higher healthcare costs for all.

“Important work lays ahead for our state and its employers to ensure working people can keep their healthcare. And while most assume that hospitals will always be there to care for their communities, the financial challenges that will unfold as this plan moves forward will require important conversations between hospital leaders and policymakers.”

Illinois Democrats

Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement:

“Donald Trump, U.S. Representatives Mike Bost (IL-12), Mary Miller (IL-15), and Darin LaHood (IL-16) have made it crystal clear to Illinoisans: if you are not a billionaire, you and your family don’t matter. This is one of the worst bills in the history of Congress. It’s a massive scheme to steal from working folks, struggling families, and even from nursing homes – all to enrich the already rich with a tax giveaway. Trump and his Republican lackeys had multiple off-ramps to get away from this incredibly unpopular bill, but are hellbent on ripping away Illinoisans health care, forcing Illinoisans to go hungry, and killing jobs all across our state — all to line the pockets of their billionaire donors. Representatives Bost, Miller, and LaHood just betrayed Illinoisans. Democrats are mobilizing across the country and are ready to fight back now, at the ballot box in 2026 and beyond.”