Jeffries said in a separate press conference on the same day that the bill would eliminate health coverage for 17 million Americans, reduce funding for Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act, and raise out-of-pocket costs for those on private insurance.
“House Democrats are going to do everything we can over the next few hours, today, tomorrow, for the balance of this week, and beyond to stop this bill from ever becoming law,” he added.
The legislation, which passed the Senate 51–50 with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, has returned to the House for final approval. Jeffries said Democrats are united in opposition and will use all available procedural tools to try to block the bill.
“All we need are four House Republicans to join us in defense of their constituents,” Jeffries said at a Tuesday press conference alongside other Democratic leaders in the House.
“We will suffer mightily from this bill. Children will be hurt. Families will be hurt. People with disabilities will be hurt.”
Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said the bill would amount to the largest health care cuts in U.S. history and called it a major transfer of wealth from working families to top earners.
“It kicks 17 million Americans off of their health care,” Clark said. “It threatens hundreds of hospitals with closure, along with a quarter of all nursing homes. It hikes the cost of electricity. It hands a 3 percent pay cut to hardworking people and hands their children $5 trillion in debt.”
Democrats also said the bill would reduce access to food assistance through cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly referred to as food stamps. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) said the bill would cut $200 billion from SNAP, which she noted primarily serves children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
“Instead of taking food away from tens of millions of Americans, we should protect and strengthen basic needs—programs like SNAP—so that food assistance is always there when we need it,” Craig said.
A White House spokeswoman responded to the Democrats’ claims in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times.
“Democrats have been lying about the One, Big, Beautiful Bill for months. No one should pay attention to their obviously false comments,” said Abigail Jackson.
Democrats also pointed to economic analyses showing limited benefits for lower- and middle-income Americans. House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) said the Congressional Budget Office found that households making less than $55,000 would lose purchasing power under the plan, while top earners would benefit most.
The Senate-passed version would extend the 2017 tax cuts, provide new funding for border security, repeal certain clean energy tax credits, and eliminate federal taxes on tips and overtime pay. It also includes $50 billion in aid for rural hospitals, adds new Medicaid work requirements, and limits how states can use provider taxes to draw federal funding.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation would increase the deficit by approximately $3.25 trillion over the next decade. Some Republicans, including members of the House Freedom Caucus, have cited that projection in voicing opposition to the Senate version.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he is “very hopeful” the House will approve the bill but acknowledged divisions in the GOP conference.
President Donald Trump, who personally lobbied senators for votes, has continued to push for passage of the bill.
“We are on schedule—Let’s keep it going, and be done before you and your family go on a July 4th vacation,” he wrote on social media.
Despite optimism from House leadership, several Republicans have signaled they may oppose the final bill over its Medicaid provisions or fiscal impact.
Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) are among those who have expressed concerns.
The final vote is expected in the House as early as July 2.
