The House of Representatives Advances Budget Reconciliation Bill that Makes Cuts to Key Programs that Serve Families and Children
On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as part of its broader effort to enact budget reconciliation legislation—a top priority of the 119th Congress. This bill includes significant federal spending reductions affecting programs that support children, youth, and families across the country.
Budget reconciliation is a fast-tracked legislative process that allows certain tax and spending measures to advance with limited debate and no filibuster in the Senate. While its procedural rules are complex, the stakes are clear: the legislation passed by the House makes sweeping cuts to a wide range of public programs, including those that provide health care, nutrition assistance, and child care to millions of families.
A comprehensive summary of the Medicaid provisions of the bill are available in these summaries:
Section by section summary of the the Medicaid Sections of H.R. 1 by Families USA
Bill explainer by Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families
The Senate is now beginning to work on its version of the bill. Senate Majority Leader Thune has signaled an intent to hold a vote before the July 4 recess. While it is expected that the Senate bill will mirror major portions of the House version, changes are also possible during this phase of the legislative process.
What This Means for Advocates
As the process continues, constituent engagement remains essential. Members of Congress are most responsive to the voices of people in their own districts and states. Advocates—including community leaders, service providers, and faith-based organizations—can play a critical role in educating lawmakers about the impact of federal programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Pell Grant Program, immigration, and child care on the families they serve.
Here is a toolkit to support advocates in educating policymakers about the vital role of Medicaid and other federal programs in providing vital services to children, youth and families.
About the Child Welfare Advocacy Hub
The Child Welfare Advocacy Hub (The Hub) supports both rapid-response advocacy and multi-year issue campaigns aimed at improving outcomes for children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system—and for families more broadly.
The Hub brings together advocates, strategists, subject-matter experts, media professionals, researchers, and other partners to craft timely and effective advocacy strategies. This work includes shaping policy proposals, developing compelling messages, producing communications tools, analyzing data and research, and mobilizing influential messengers. The Hub regularly shares new resources tailored for advocacy and policy audiences.