Democratic leaders and union officials are preparing to make the Republican-backed budget bill—which passed the House on July 3 and was sent to President Donald Trump to be signed—a centerpiece of their 2026 midterm strategy. They plan to use it to draw contrasts with Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) concluded a marathon floor speech on July 3 after speaking for eight hours and 44 minutes, breaking (by 12 minutes) the previous record set by then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in 2021 and delaying the vote on the bill but not stopping it from going for a vote. Jeffries began just before 5 a.m. ET in a final attempt to delay the vote and rally public attention to the sweeping GOP budget bill backed by Trump. The vote went ahead later that day.
Jeffries had previously vowed on July 2 that all House Democrats would oppose the bill, and called on four House Republicans to join them in voting it down. Only two House Republicans ended up voting against the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) The legislation cleared the Senate earlier this week.
In response to a question about how to avoid the GOP changing the message from the bill to other issues that helped Republicans win in 2024 headed into the still distant 2026 midterms, Martin said that discussion of the bill would be “a constant drumbeat” from not only the DNC, but “all of our partners and allies over the course of the next year and a half.”
The bill has been described by GOP leaders as a sweeping package that reduces taxes, restructures safety net programs, and eliminates clean energy incentives. But it also drew opposition from within the party, with objections from both conservative and moderate wings.
Democrats said the bill threatens millions of jobs and warned of layoffs in manufacturing, construction, and health care when it becomes law.
“It shovels billions in tax breaks to the rich, slashes critical investments in infrastructure, and leaves working Americans holding the bag,” said IBEW Secretary-Treasurer Paul Noble. “This bill doesn’t just miss the mark—it goes in completely the wrong direction. We should be doubling down on infrastructure, energy independence, and job creation right here at home. Instead, this bill guts investments that our communities rely on.”
Former Biden-era Labor Secretary Julie Su said the bill is already creating uncertainty for employers, which she warned could lead to reduced hiring and training efforts. She pointed to recent economic indicators—including a decline in personal income and four consecutive months of contraction in manufacturing—as signs of strain.
“Underlying every economic statistic is an actual person,” Su said. “Someone who’s trying to make ends meet, provide for their family, and build a better future. And right now, too many of those people are in the direct line of fire of Donald Trump.”
Democrats are launching a coordinated “Organizing Summer” campaign to publicize the bill’s impacts and frame it as a defining issue for 2026.
“There’s no such thing as a low‑information voter anymore,” Martin said. “Where people are gathering, particularly in those digital spaces, they’re all receiving lots of information. One of the challenges for the Democratic ecosystem is making sure we’re in those spaces, communicating constantly—and making sure they understand what exactly is and isn’t in this bill and how it’s going to impact their communities, their families’ lives, and their state.”
Union leaders on the call said they are training members to connect legislation to their everyday lives. IBEW’s Noble added that a new “Politics, Activism, and Livelihood” program is designed to show union members how specific legislation affects their jobs and communities.
“We’re showing them how the legislation actually impacts them, who supported it, who didn’t,” Noble said.
“Today, the House has passed generational legislation that permanently lowers taxes for families and job creators, secures the border, unleashes American energy dominance, restores peace through strength, reduces spending more than any other bill ever has, and makes government more efficient and effective for all Americans,” the statement said.
“It should never be forgotten that every single House Democrat voted against all of it—proving once again that they support tax hikes on their constituents, open borders, runaway government spending, and Medicaid for able-bodied adults who can work but choose not to. The One Big Beautiful Bill now heads to the President’s desk for his signature, and all hard-working Americans should know—this bill is for you.”
