Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, told Newsmax on Thursday that House Democrats are fearmongering with President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was slated for a final vote for passage later in the day.
Using a procedural perk known as "magic minutes," Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., took control of the House floor indefinitely early Thursday in a bid to delay Republicans from passing the budget reconciliation package before the president's stated July 4 deadline.
Jeffries wrote on X just before 5 a.m. ET that he was speaking "in strong opposition to Trump's One Big Ugly Bill" that he claims will be "devastating to everyday Americans."
"I would say, number one, it's a big, beautiful bill, so, even their title is wrong," Miller-Meeks said on "Wake Up America." "But no, I think they're fearmongering. They're trying to insinuate things that are not true. Even The New York Times had said that they're exaggerating the number of people that they claim will lose coverage. Taking illegal immigrants off of Medicaid – they're not supposed to be on it, but there are states that do allow them to get Medicaid – removing them is very popular with the American people. If you're ineligible for Medicaid, you should not be on Medicaid. If you're enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states, we're paying insurance companies, a per-member per-month fee and that's mostly from the federal government, 90% match, and so, no, these things are very popular.
"Also, if you're an able-bodied adult, an adult without disabilities, with no dependent children under age 18, the vast majority of Americans, and certainly Iowans, think that you ought to work if you want free stuff. If you choose not to work, then that is your choice. You need to take some responsibility for yourself, instead of asking your 55-year-old neighbor to continue working so you can get free stuff. If you're disabled, you will be covered. And I think this is a lot of fearmongering. We've heard that repetitively. And, as we know, Minority Leader Jeffries has a voice that will lull you to sleep."
Unlike other members of the House, who are constrained by time limits when speaking, "magic minutes" enable party leaders to hold the floor indefinitely until they voluntarily relinquish it.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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