Rep. Josh Riley (D-N.Y.) was reprimanded Wednesday for “vulgar speak” during a House debate on the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as he accused his Republican colleagues of “shitting on the middle class” with the legislation.
President Donald Trump’s enormous tax and spending bill, which is projected to add more than $3 trillion to the U.S. debt and cut $930 billion from Medicaid, was passed by the Senate on Tuesday and sent back to the House for debate on Wednesday over its final passage.
“You bail out the banks while neglecting rural America,” Riley said Wednesday. “You rigged the economy so the corporate PACs that are funding your campaigns make huge profits, jacking up costs on folks who can’t afford it. And now this.”
He added, “This bill will kill good, blue-collar manufacturing jobs that we need to rebuild the economy in this country. It closes rural hospitals. It defunds healthcare. All to give trillions of dollars in tax cuts to your cronies.”
The bill aims to extend expiring tax cuts that Trump signed into law in 2017, while kicking millions of people off Medicaid and curbing eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps approximately 42 million people buy food each month.
Riley began his speech by arguing that hardworking Americans are only asking for “a fair shot” to make a living. He finished by slamming supporters of the bill: “Don’t tell me you give a shit about the middle class when all you are doing is shitting on the middle class.”
The conclusion garnered some cheers for Riley, as well as a stern scolding.
“Chair would remind both sides of two things,” said debate chair Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) from the podium. “Please direct your remarks to the chair, that is a house rule, and to avoid vulgar speak. We do have families. The gentleman will not be recognized.”
Trump claimed Tuesday on social media that the “big, beautiful bill” would usher in “an economic renaissance” if passed. A recent analysis showed the so-called Big Beautiful Bill disproportionately favors wealthier taxpayers.
The measure barely eked out a victory in the Senate after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of it. Only three Republicans voted it down: Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Maine’s Susan Collins.
Trump said Monday the bill is “on schedule” to land on his desk by the July Fourth holiday.