Former President Barack Obama has reemerged in the public debate, urging Americans to contact their congressional representatives and oppose a sweeping $3.3 trillion spending package advanced by President Donald Trump. In a statement on X, Obama warned that the plan could eliminate healthcare access for more than 16 million people by cutting Medicaid and dismantling key components of the Affordable Care Act. His intervention reflects growing alarm among Democrats that the bill’s impact on social programs could be severe.
In Congress, House Democrats are mounting procedural resistance to slow the bill’s advance. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took to the House floor in the early hours of Thursday using the so-called “magic minute”—a rule allowing party leaders unlimited speaking time. He began reading constituent letters and warnings about the bill’s consequences, in a bid to stretch debate and build public pressure. Despite this, House Republicans secured a narrow win in a “rule vote” (219‑213), which sets terms for debate and moves the legislation forward. Speaker Mike Johnson hailed it as a victory, though internal GOP dissent from fiscal conservatives complicated the process and threatened to delay the final vote.
The bill, already cleared by the Senate, includes major changes to the debt ceiling, Medicaid cost‑sharing, and tax policy. Democrats, lacking the votes to block it outright, are relying on delay tactics and public messaging to oppose it. On his part, Trump promoted the legislation via Truth Social, calling it a bipartisan triumph promising lower taxes, stronger national defense, and better wages. With the July 4 holiday approaching, Republicans say they will push to pass the measure swiftly—setting the stage for a politically charged standoff with high stakes for healthcare, deficits, and public services.
