Ranking Member Ed Markey has voiced strong opposition to a new bill proposed by former President Donald Trump, which he refers to as the "Big Ugly Bill." According to Markey, this legislation poses significant threats to small businesses in America by increasing costs related to health care, energy, and food. He argues that these changes come at a challenging time when small business owners are already struggling due to what he describes as Trump's "reckless trade war."
Markey criticizes the Republican stance on the bill, suggesting it is misleading. "Republicans claim this bill will be a boon for small businesses but it’s actually a Big Billionaire Boondoggle," he stated. He believes the bill uses Main Street as a pretext for providing substantial tax cuts for wealthy individuals and large corporations.
The concerns extend beyond rhetoric. On June 26, Markey joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden of Oregon in writing to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo. They expressed worries about potential cuts in Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), along with the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits affecting over 3 million small businesses nationwide, including more than 34,000 in Massachusetts.
Markey calls for public action against what he sees as detrimental policies: "As this Big Ugly Bill heads to the House of Representatives, we all need to continue to raise our voices even louder."
