The sweeping budget bill passed by House Republicans earlier today is drawing fierce backlash from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and other Democrats who warn the legislation imposes the largest cuts to Medicaid in U.S. history and threatens the health and well-being of millions across the state.

In a statement, Senator Andy Kim condemned the votes of New Jersey Republican Representatives Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith, all of whom voted in favor of the bill.

In a statement, Kim noted that the legislation slashes $930 billion from Medicaid nationwide and imposes sweeping changes to eligibility, provider funding, and food assistance programs like SNAP.

“I strongly condemn the votes of Reps. Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith that will hurt countless New Jersey families,” Kim said. “Let it sink in: they chose tax cuts for billionaires at the expense of the health, safety, and prosperity of the people who they represent.”

Kim criticized Kean Jr. for backing a continuation of the SALT tax cap and called out Van Drew and Smith for votes he said betrayed New Jersey’s most vulnerable populations.

In a statement of his own, Smith touted his vote in favor, noting the bill will help “secure our economy, the border, and the future for all American families.”

“President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill provides the largest tax cut in American history, provides much need funds to build the wall and enforce immigration laws, and invests in America’s Armed Forces starting with $9 billion for servicemember pay to ensure we can meet the threats of the 21^st Century,” Smith said.

“This bill reforms Medicaid by targeting rampant abuse, through modest work, study, or volunteer requirements to prevent fraud, allowing more taxpayer dollars to be spent on those the program was intended for—including pregnant women, low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and New Jersey’s seniors, who will not lose their benefits,” Smith added.

In a statement of her own, New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman, whose departments administers many of these programs, echoed Kim’s alarm in a sharply worded statement outlining the deep consequences the bill will have on the state’s Medicaid and food assistance programs.

“This legislation undermines Americans’ fundamental pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness,” Adelman said. “It will make it harder for New Jersey families to access health care and food assistance, while shifting hundreds of millions of dollars in costs onto state taxpayers.”

Currently, one in three children in New Jersey relies on Medicaid. The bill’s provisions could result in 350,000 eligible residents losing health care due to new administrative barriers, according to DHS estimates.

It also imposes a $3.3 billion annual cut in hospital and public health funding and pulls $360 million from the state budget through reduced federal funding, Adelman said.

The NJ FamilyCare program, which provides Medicaid coverage, will face major policy changes starting in 2026. These include:

• restrict the definition of qualified immigrants (Oct. 2026)
• impose work requirements for able-bodied adults (as soon as Jan. 2027, and no later than Jan. 2029)
• require six-month eligibility redetermination for expansion adults (Jan. 2027)
• limits retroactive coverage to one month prior to application for expansion population and two months prior for traditional enrollees (Jan. 2027)
• require expansion adults to pay money out of pocket towards the cost of treatment (Oct. 2028)

Medicaid providers will also be hit hard, with immediate bans on new provider taxes, caps on payments, and phased reductions in federal matching funds for hospital and emergency care.

The bill also jeopardizes food access for 800,000 New Jerseyans who rely on SNAP, over 60% of whom are children or seniors. It includes a new state cost-sharing mandate that could force New Jersey to contribute an additional $100 to $300 million—or risk losing the program altogether.

County governments would also be responsible for raising or reallocating $78 million annually due to decreased federal reimbursement.

Governor Phil Murphy’s has also been vocal in opposition to the bill, warning publicly about its impact.

“On the eve of our nation’s 249th birthday, Congressional Republicans just voted to abandon tens of millions of American families.  We will continue to do everything in our power to protect hardworking New Jerseyans from the implications of this shameful legislation,” Murphy said.

Senator Kim likewise vowed to continue fighting for New Jersey families in the face of what he called “a betrayal of the American people.”

“We must do better—for our children, our seniors, our neighbors with disabilities, and every New Jerseyan who deserves the security of health care and food on the table,” he said.