BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries visited Buffalo on Tuesday to speak with local leaders and healthcare workers about the impact of President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Medicaid and healthcare access nationwide.
"An assault on medical research, an assault on the Centers for Disease Control, an assault on the National Institute of Health," Jeffries said.
Last July, the Trump administration cut more than $1 trillion from healthcare spending through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, specifically targeting the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. More than 470,000 people were impacted in New York State.
Jeffries said the cuts have driven up costs for working- and middle-class residents.
U.S. Rep. Tim Kennedy, who represents New York's 26th Congressional District, also addressed the crowd, describing the human cost of losing access to healthcare.
"Dying from preventable conditions and being left to navigate devastating consequences of losing access to healthcare," Kennedy said.
WATCH: Leader Hakeem Jeffries rallies against Medicaid cuts from One Big Beautiful Bill Act in Buffalo
Last year, Republican Nick Langworthy, who represents New York's 23rd Congressional District, defended the work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other healthcare changes, arguing that government assistance should be reserved for those who truly need it.
"These are basic principles. If you're able-bodied and you have no dependents, and you're receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid, you should be expected to work, look for work or enroll in job training," Langworthy said.
Langworthy drew a comparison to welfare reform under a previous administration.
"Democrat president Bill Clinton, he worked with Congress to reform welfare by requiring work from able-bodied adults. It was wildly successful. Employment went up. Dependency went down, and Americans believed in the system again," Langworthy said.
Union leaders and healthcare workers who work with affected communities said vulnerable populations are bearing the brunt of the cuts.
"We've seen a number of service line closures in our hospitals. Our nursing homes have started to close, and most importantly, why would we see nursing homes or hospitals close? Where are people going to go when they're sick? Where are elderly going to go when they can no longer be taken care of at home?" said Shameka Burnette-Mathews, an administrative organizer with 1199 SEIU.
Voter registration was also raised, with Election Day 14 weeks away.
