Congressman Vicente Gonzalez met with members of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees to speak out against the “Big Beautiful Bill” that was signed into law on July 4.

According to a news release from Gonzalez’s office, the bill has “damaging impacts” to South Texas families and their access to Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and SNAP.

“We are standing for American values,” Gonzalez said during the Thursday meeting. “We are standing for the working people of not only South Texas and the great state of Texas, but the entire United States."

According to the news release, the legislation strips healthcare from almost 17 million Americans, including more than 1.6 million Texans and over 100,000 South Texans. 

“At the end of the day, it hurts our older population. It hurts vulnerable population, it hurts veterans,” Gonzalez said. “It hurts South Texans more than it does the rest of the state and the rest of the country because we have more struggling people within our community."

The White House has said the bill "strengthens" Medicaid for pregnant women, children, seniors, and people with disabilities while eliminating fraud, and abuse.

The bill also enforces work requirements.