Melissa Minor-Brown, D-New Castle, is the speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives. Kerri Evelyn Harris, D-Dover, is its majority leader. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, is its majority whip.
On July 3, Republicans in Congress voted to pass President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” — making it abundantly clear that their decisions are not in favor of helping the American people but, rather, appeasing a single man.
Republican rhetoric claims that this bill is a “course correction” and that it is getting our country back on the right track after “wasting” resources on the hardworking Americans who teach our children, grow our food, put their lives on the line to respond to emergencies and so on. Because the truth is, those who benefit most from food assistance programs, health programs and utility assistance programs are those who do the jobs that keep this country afloat.
This bill is not a course correction. It will not help Americans. By voting in favor of this bill, Republicans are turning off the navigation system and condemning millions of Americans to a life of unimaginable hardship.
People across the country are already fighting to keep their heads above water amid job cuts and rising prices, and they will now have to navigate the loss of Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance programs, utility credits and other critical, federally funded initiatives.
The Trump administration made it clear on Day 1 that it is willing to hurt low-income and middle-class Americans to give more money to the already wealthy upper class. And we took that seriously.
Over the past six months, Democrats in the Delaware General Assembly passed legislation to strengthen state policies and resources to reduce the harm these reckless federal actions will inflict on Delawareans.
This includes legislation that will:
Let’s be clear: Delawareans will feel the impact of the Trump megabill. The gaps it creates are deep, and as a state, we can’t fill them all. But we will never back down. We will keep fighting relentlessly to protect the safety, health and well-being of every Delawarean. No matter what challenges arise, we will face them head-on.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
