BOULDER COUNTY - The White House recently released its official statement about H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, touting its historic investment in securing America’s strategic interest in the Arctic, its “permanent tax relief” for small businesses, and its tax cuts for farmers and working class families, calling the budget reconciliation bill “the law of the land”. 

Boulder County Commissioners responded to the passing of H.R. 1, stating that the impacts of “the law of the land” on the county and on the state will be “devastating.” 

“This decision by the U.S. Congress will hurt people and it will disproportionally hurt communities of color,” the message from Commissioners Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin, and Ashley Stolzmann reads.

“It prevents people from receiving necessary health care, it reduces support for low and moderate income families, and it guarantees that more people will go hungry.”

H.R. 1 was introduced on May 20, 2025, and the House of Representatives passed it, 216 - 215, just two days later. The Senate vote on July 1 went to Vice President J.D. Vance for a tie-breaking decision, passing H.R. 1 51 - 50.

Edits were made to the bill after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough’s assessment ruled that several provisions, particularly related to Medicaid cuts, were in violation of the Byrd Rule, which dictates what provisions are appropriate to be included within legislation related to budget reconciliation.

Some of these provisions even garnered bipartisan support, such as the plan to expand the Pell Grant, which assists low-income students. However, such provisions were included alongside plans to eliminate certain student loan repayment options for current borrowers, to limit grant access for noncitizens, and to restrict medical residents who work in hospitals or academic centers from loan-forgiveness opportunities. 

The Medicaid cuts within H.R. 1 that were found to be in violation of the Byrd Rule include the proposal to cap states’ provider taxes, as well as placing a moratorium on any new provider taxes, which would severely deplete available funding for Medicaid expenditures.

MacDonough also ruled against proposed Medicaid cuts for Alaska and Hawaii, provisions related to Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care, restrictions on Medicaid availability for immigrants, and an attempt at placing certain exemptions for medications for rare illnesses when considering Medicare drug pricing negotiations. 

Despite these changes, cuts to Medicaid were left in the final version of H.R. 1, which the House approved, 218 - 214, on July 3. According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 1 reduces federal Medicaid spending by roughly $800 billion, and an estimated 400,000 people will lose their Medicaid coverage based on the changes to provider taxes alone. 

A Washington D.C. think tank, Third Way, estimates that H.R. 1 and the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act will result in about 7.8 million people losing their Medicaid coverage. Third Way has also estimated that medical debt may increase by $50 billion, which is a 15% increase to the nation’s current $340 billion in unpaid debt. 

“It will take time for the state and the county to determine exactly what the final legislation means in terms of funding and programming,” the Boulder County Commissioners stated, pointing specifically to the impact that federal funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“Food Stamps”) will have on the area. 

“The approved legislation shifts some of that cost to states and Colorado is already facing a significant fiscal deficit of its own, which will require a reduction in other state services to prevent people from going hungry.

“Financial support for other vital health and nutrition benefits has been drastically cut as well. This will cause reduced life-expectancy, delayed child development, lagging educational achievement, and, as a result, emotional harm.”

Within their statement, Commissioners also lamented H.R. 1’s cuts to clean energy investments, calling it an “attack on climate action.”

“This will mean over a million jobs lost, hundreds of billions in lost GDP and wages, and, critically, backsliding on the nation’s carbon reduction goals during the ongoing climate crisis,” the statement read. 

Boulder County Commissioners are not alone in their disapproval of H.R. 1’s passing, as it was made clear by the voting numbers that this decision was split down party lines, and that all four of Colorado’s Democratic representatives, Representatives Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, and Brittany Pettersen, voted against the bill.

Representatives Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank, Gabe Evans, and Jeff Hurd all voted for the bill. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, both Democrats, voted against the bill when it came before the Senate.

While politicians argue whether the bill truly cuts Medicaid or is only restricting certain people from receiving coverage, Colorado’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting reports that the state could see half a billion dollars less in revenue each year while dealing with another half a billion in additional costs. 

The matter is ringing such alarm bells that the governor’s office has stated that a special session may need to be called in order to navigate the impacts of H.R. 1.

“Governor [Jared] Polis has been open about the sad reality that the state can’t make up for the funding that President Trump and Republicans are taking away from Coloradans,” said spokesperson Eric Maruyama.

“The Governor has previously indicated we may need to reconvene the General Assembly to deal with the terrible impacts from the bill, and we are still reviewing the impacts of this new law to evaluate next steps, including a potential special session.”

“It’s deeply disappointing that all the Republican members of our delegation voted for this bill, despite being warned repeatedly of the damage it will cause for their constituents and our state,” Governor Polis said immediately following the news of H.R. 1’s passing.

“Colorado Republicans and Trump now own the devastating impacts, cost increases, and chaos this bill will impose on hardworking Coloradans and Americans.”

In terms of dealing with the reality of what H.R. 1 will bring, Boulder County Commissioners are currently embroiled in the County’s annual budget process, which is guided by three main principles: economic security and social stability; climate action and environmental stewardship; and good governance. 

Commissioners state that the federal budget reconciliation bill will definitely affect their goals moving forward. 

“Despite the collective best efforts of County staff, nonprofit partners, and our community, this budget will cause lasting harm to the well-being of county residents.

“As we work through our analysis of the bill, the county’s existing budget schedule remains in place, and we remain committed to spending local dollars where they will make the most impact,” the Commissioners wrote.

“Where we need to make reductions, we will focus on making data-driven decisions with thought and care.”

For those interested in reading the official One Big Beautiful Bill Act, please visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1