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KTNV: What impact would the 'Big Beautiful Bill' have on people in Southern Nevada?

July 1, 2025

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The budget legislation being dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill", has now been signed into law during a Fourth of July ceremony at the White House on Friday.

The legislation went back to the House for a vote after narrow approval in the Senate on Tuesday morning. Nevada's sole Republican representative, Mark Amodei, is the only member of the Silver State's Congressional delegation to vote "yes" on the bill.

You've probably heard and seen quite a bit about H.R. 1 since a so-called "vote-a-rama" began in the Senate early Monday morning. Amid all the noise, we wanted to dig into how this legislation could actually impact Nevadans.

Channel 13 reporters and anchors are following up on some of the key questions around the impacts you could see from the "Big Beautiful Bill."

Why did most of Nevada's Congressional delegation decide to vote "no"?
Sens. Cortez Masto and Rosen both issued statements claiming their votes stemmed from concerns the budget legislation would take away funding for federal assistance programs relied on by millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of people in Nevada. Cortez Masto called the legislation a "Republican tax scam which cuts Medicaid, clean energy tax credits, food assistance, and more in order to lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans."

Rep. Steven Horsford called it "Robinhood in reverse," writing in part that, "Taking from the needy to give to the greedy isn't leadership — it's cruelty."

Rep. Dina Titus called the legislation "a cruel budget bill that will do harm to all Nevadans."

What would the bill mean for Nevadans who rely on Medicaid?
One portion of the bill promises to reshape the nation's Medicaid system. Much of the opposition to the legislation has centered around concerns over its impact on Medicaid, the program that helps cover medical costs for people who make at or below a certain percentage of the federal poverty level.

The White House official website includes a statement about the legislation's impact on Medicaid that reads in part:

"As the president has said numerous times, there will be no cuts to Medicaid. The One Big Beautiful Bill protects and strengthens Medicaid for those who rely on it — pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families — while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse."
H.R. 1 would affect who is eligible for the program. A key provision of the legislation introduces new Medicaid work requirements set to take effect Dec. 31, 2026. States will now be required to verify that able-bodied adults work at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible for the program.

Here in Nevada, more than 900,000 residents rely on Medicaid, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Abel Garcia hears from locals concerned about what the bill would mean for their Medicaid benefits:

"If passed, 100,000 Nevadans will lose healthcare coverage, and hospitals and nursing homes will shut down," according to a news release from the office of Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev. "Nevada would also lose about $590 million in federal Medicaid funding."

Medicaid cuts of that magnitude at the federal level would mean Nevada leaders will have to decide whether to adjust the state budget to fill in the gaps. That could mean convening a special session of the state Legislature in the future, says Channel 13 senior political reporter Steve Sebelius.

Issues: Health Care