Republican House Budget Committee Does Not Yet Approve Budget Bill. Rural America Would See Deep Cuts.

From cuts to Medicaid to SNAP nutrition benefits to clean energy, the Republican budget bill would have deep, deep cuts on programs, services, and funding that rural Americans count on.

The U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee tabled their vote today (Friday, May 16, 2025) to advance their budget reconciliation proposal. This “punt” means that the budget package is in legislative limbo for the time being. The bill has far-reaching consequences on all Americans, and rural America in particular.

The Budget Committee featured basic talking point speeches by the committee members. Republicans called their “big, beautiful bill” fiscally responsible (NOTE—it is not. It explodes the budget deficit and debt by many billions) and in promotion of the Trump “America First Agenda.” Democrats roundly attacked the bill as a handout to billionaires on the backs of the poor and working class.

No amendments were allowed to be offered or debated, but numerous non-binding “motions to instruct” were offered by Democrats. These included limiting proposed tax cuts for the richest Americans, preserving Medicaid, removing SNAP cuts, and more.

Conservative hard-line budget hawks were key members who would not support the Republican budget reconciliation bill as it stands. The House Budget Committee will return to work next week (likely Monday).

Some rural provisions in the advancing Republican budget reconciliation bill include:

• Deep cuts to Medicaid that many rural people depend on. Many rural hospitals are at risk of closing if the bill passes, according to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), stating that the bill: “proposes changes to Medicaid that will result in massive coverage losses and will further stifle access to care for all rural patients by closing rural facilities and ending health care coverage for rural residents nationwide.”

• $300 billion in cuts to SNAP nutrition benefits. Rural people, rural grocers, and rural economies will suffer if these cuts are implemented. (NOTE—See this week’s Cocklebur report on the Agriculture Committee markup for more details).

• Deep cuts to clean energy that will stifle the rural clean energy boom, while handing out giveaways to drilling, mining, and pipeline corporations. (NOTE—See this week’s Cocklebur report on the energy provisions in the bill).

The future of the Republican budget bill is on pause for now. This is a clear signal that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA, 4th) might not have the votes to pass the bill on the floor. Some Republicans are opposed to cuts to clean energy programs. Others are asking for a bigger mortgage deduction. Others think the cuts are not deep enough. The list of Senate Republicans opposing the House budget bill is growing.

Irregardless (that’s a joke, I know it’s regardless), there are likely to be lots of developments within the week. The stakes are high. Congress is set to go to recess next Friday.

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The Cocklebur covers rural policy and politics from a progressive point-of-view. Our work focuses on a tangled rural political reality of dishonest debate, economic and racial disparities, corporate power over our democracy, and disinformation peddled by conservative media outlets. We aim to use facts, data, and science to inform our point-of-view. We wear our complicated love/WTF relationship with rural America on our sleeve.