Washington: Following the final approval of the sweeping federal legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has voiced grave concern over its potential to deepen hardship for struggling families and marginalized communities.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, President of the USCCB, issued a strong statement criticizing the bill’s final form, calling it a missed opportunity to support the poor and uphold human dignity. “While this bill was billed as a comprehensive reform of federal spending, its practical consequences will be most severely felt by those already living at the margins,” he warned.
The legislation, passed largely along party lines after extensive debate, reconfigures key aspects of the federal budget. Proponents praised it as a bold move to boost economic performance and reduce government inefficiencies. The bill introduces broad tax reforms, reshapes several social assistance programs, and reallocates funding priorities toward deregulation and investment incentives.
However, Catholic leaders argue that this redirection of fiscal policy comes at a significant human cost. In his statement, Archbishop Broglio pointed to provisions that reduce support for healthcare and food programs, eliminate safeguards for immigrant families, and roll back environmental protections. “These are not mere numbers in a ledger,” he said. “They represent real people who will suffer the consequences of reduced care, separation from loved ones, and heightened vulnerability.”
Earlier drafts of the bill had included language welcomed by Catholic leaders such as tighter restrictions on federal funds for abortion providers, expanded educational choices for parents, and prohibitions on federal funding for gender-transition treatments. Yet in the version passed by Congress, many of these elements were either diluted or removed entirely.
The USCCB noted that the prohibition on federal funds for organizations like Planned Parenthood was reduced to a single-year ban, while proposed education reforms were dramatically scaled back. Notably, the ban on funding gender-transition procedures was excluded from the final legislation altogether.
Calling attention to the broader effects of the bill, Archbishop Broglio cautioned that “families will lose vital access to food and healthcare, immigrant children risk being torn from their parents, and fragile ecosystems will be left more exposed to the consequences of pollution and climate change.”
He emphasized that the changes reflect not just a policy shift, but a moral failing: “This budget undermines our collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable and to serve the common good.”
Despite the bill’s passage, Archbishop Broglio appealed to Catholics and citizens across the country to respond with compassion and solidarity. “The Gospel calls us to serve those most in need,” he said. “We must renew our commitment to justice and charity, offering real assistance to those who now face increased burdens.”
He concluded by assuring continued advocacy from the Church: “We will keep pressing for policies that reflect our values and offer greater hope to the poor, the sick, the stranger, and the overlooked. The fight for a more just society does not end here.”