This week, former President Donald Trump’s proposed budget bill faced a major setback in the House Budget Committee. Despite being led by Republicans, five GOP members voted against the bill, delaying its passage. The opposition was not due to concerns over its impact on everyday Americans, but rather because some hardline Republicans believed the cuts did not go far enough.

The bill, strongly criticized by Democrats, aims to extend tax cuts for the wealthy while paying for them by slashing critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the current version of the bill would result in 13.7 million Americans losing their health coverage. Hospitals in rural areas, which rely heavily on Medicaid, could shut down, affecting entire communities regardless of whether individuals personally use Medicaid or not.

Congressman Brendan Boyle, the ranking Democrat on the committee, called the bill “the biggest tax cut for billionaires in American history” and emphasized that Democrats are fully united in their opposition. Boyle pointed out that the Republican Party is internally divided—between hardliners wanting deeper cuts and moderates fearing political backlash.

A key talking point from Republicans is the claim that only “able-bodied” individuals would lose benefits. However, critics argue this is a rhetorical cover to impose harsh work requirements, potentially stripping health care from millions of low-income Americans who may already be struggling. With the Budget Committee set to reconvene, the future of the bill remains uncertain as Republicans attempt to find consensus among their fractured ranks.