Somerset Co. Residents Protest Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' At Somerville Rally

SOMERVILLE, NJ — In the wake of the Senate passage of H.R. 1, President Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill," around 50 community members gathered outside the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville on Wednesday, to call on Congressman Tom Kean Jr. to oppose the final version of the bill.

A group of participants held megaphones and signs stating "Kill the Bill," "Don't Slash Medicaid," "H.R. 1 is Cruel," "No Immoral Budget Cuts," "Corruption, Chaos, and Cruelty," "Rep. Ken Stop the Cuts."

"It’s outrageous that Rep. Kean would even consider voting for a budget this cruel," said Charlie Kratovil, New Jersey Senior Organizer with Food & Water Watch. "There’s nothing moderate about a plan that cuts food assistance and climate programs just to bankroll billionaire tax breaks. If he backs this bill again, he’s making it painfully clear who he’s really working for — and it’s not the people of New Jersey."

Kean voted for the House version of the bill earlier this year. In New Jersey’s 7th District, more than 10,800 households rely on SNAP to afford groceries, and the region is already facing significant water and climate threats, according to Food & Water Watch.

The bill, which passed the Senate on Wednesday, now returns to the House for a final vote.

"It would cut deeply into food and environmental programs to fund over $1 trillion in corporate tax breaks. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it would slash $186 billion from SNAP, the largest cut in the program’s history, and repeal key clean air and climate justice programs while ramping up fossil fuel development on public lands," according to Food & Water Watch.

Food & Water Watch shared that the bill would:

• Slash $186 billion from the SNAP food assistance program
• Cause 3 million people to lose access to food assistance, and up to 5 million, including 1 million children, to lose some of their benefits
• Repeal clean air and environmental justice initiatives
• Expand oil and gas drilling on public lands
• Create a fast-track scheme for fossil fuel project approvals
• Hand out over $1 trillion in corporate tax breaks, including $363 billion for bonus depreciation alone
• Deliver an average annual tax break of $255,000 to the top 0.1%, while working families see just $100