The North Carolina Democratic Party held a press event that focused on the impact that H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will have on Medicaid and rural hospitals while putting a spotlight on Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley for his support of the legislation.
President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law in July, and the legislation makes devastating cuts to Medicaid that put over half a million North Carolinians at risk of losing healthcare, including individuals who enrolled after the state expanded Medicaid in 2023.
Ahoskie Mayor Weyling White, who spoke at the event, laments the passage of the bill. “It feels like we took three steps forward, and now we’re taking five steps back,” stated White. “With Medicaid expansion, families had more opportunity to get ahead, and it’s devastating to watch that unravel.”
In addition to putting the healthcare of hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians at risk, the changes to Medicaid are expected to negatively impact rural hospitals, potentially leading to the closure of some health clinics in rural communities across the country.
A patient from one of the at-risk hospitals spoke at the event and framed the dangers the bill presents for rural communities. “If my husband and I have to drive an hour during an emergency, it could cost us our lives, and I am not kidding about that,” said Lea Charlton, a patient at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. “These decisions have real consequences for families.”
Republicans have insisted the bill would be beneficial for working-class families in America. As the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Whatley has stated that the bill, which he describes as the most important piece of legislation within the last 50 years, is about fixing the economy, restoring the border, and having a stronger military. He also insists there’s widespread support for the bill, claiming 80% of Americans support the bill that he believes embodies all of the campaign promises Trump ran on.
Whatley recently filed to run for Senator Thom Tillis’ seat in the U.S. Senate after Tillis announced he would not be seeking reelection following his deviation from Trump by voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Tillis voiced his concerns regarding the bill’s cuts to Medicaid, stating that the cuts outlined in the bill could hurt people.
Though Whatley has not held public office before, as chairman of the Republican National Committee and former chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, he supports much of the legislation and ideas coming from Republican lawmakers on the federal and state levels. Democrats are looking to hold him accountable for such legislation, including the infamous One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
