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Big Beautiful Bill Impact on Washington
A new federal tax and spending bill, dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill," is drawing fire in Washington state where non-profits and community groups warn its $1.5 trillion in federal spending cuts threaten vital programs like SNAP and WIC.
The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law by President Donald Trump in July, is being hailed by the White House as a win for working families. But in Washington state, nonprofits and community members say the legislation could have devastating consequences for thousands of low-income families who depend on federal food and health benefits.
The bill, also known as H.R. 1, delivers what the White House calls "the largest tax cut in history for middle- and working-class Americans." It removes taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security, while slashing $1.5 trillion in federal spending.
Supporters say it restores fiscal discipline and keeps America first. Opponents say it shifts the burden onto working families.
What they're saying:
Soumyo Lahiri-Gupta, an immigration advocate with OneAmerica, said the bill prioritizes the wealthy.
"Trump’s Congress is giving $1.1 trillion dollars to the rich in tax cuts and they’re paying for them by cutting health care and other crucial services to states across the country," Lahiri-Gupta said.
Families already feeling the effects of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
In Yakima, mother of three Julia Perez says her family’s WIC benefits were unexpectedly reduced last month.
"As families like mine struggle to pay bills and afford groceries, HR1 is going to cut programs that millions of families rely on for food like families like mine," Perez said through a translator.
Faith leaders say food insecurity is growing statewide. Pastor Jan Bolerjack, who leads Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila — a congregation that shelters asylum seekers and runs a food pantry — says food banks can no longer keep up.
"I looked in a bag the other day and it was a jar of chili sauce, two onions and coffee — now tell me how you make a meal out of that," Bolerjack said.
She says donations from partners like Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest have dropped sharply, leaving families with less and forcing her church to cut back from serving multiple times a week to just once.
A Mt Vernon childcare provider of 30 years, who now lends a helping hand to working parents said legislative cuts like last year's will only make it harder for working families to stay afloat.
"We’re talking about parents who are already juggling two or three jobs and still can’t afford rent or childcare," she said. "Taking away food and health benefits doesn’t lift families up — it pushes them further down."
Republicans say critics are misrepresenting the bill
Republican Representative Travis Couture, who represents Washington’s 35th Legislative District, says the Big Beautiful Bill is being misrepresented. He argues that the legislation gives states like Washington flexibility to manage the impact through programs such as FAP — the state’s Food Assistance Program — which mirrors SNAP.
"I don't think that the one big, beautiful bill is intended to harm anybody," Couture said. "But our country faces an extreme $37 trillion debt with increasing deficits every single year. So at some point, fiscally, something has to be done."
Couture says claims that the bill favors the wealthy are partisan spin.
"It’s a hyper-partisan political talking point to claim that the tax cuts were for the rich," Couture said. "If you’re middle class or low income people, you are seeing some big benefits. But if it weren’t for the big beautiful bill, people here in Washington State would be taxed way more into oblivion than they are right now. We need more tax relief in our state because it’s getting hard here with the cost of living."
He says the real problem is at the state level.
"We don’t have a revenue problem in Washington. We have a spending problem," Couture said. "Families shouldn’t have to go to food banks just to survive when they’re working full-time. We need to make our state more affordable."
What's next:
Couture says most of the bill’s federal provisions — including adjustments to Medicaid and SNAP — won’t take full effect until 2027, giving states time to request waivers and create their own safeguards.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman.