Putting People First: Why I Voted Yes on the “Big Beautiful Bill”

Last November, Americans voted for change—and this bill delivers that change. It reflects the priorities of the 119th Congress: reducing the size of government, cutting wasteful spending, and protecting tax relief for working families.

Despite the fearmongering and misinformation from the other side of the aisle, House Republicans have been transparent about our goals:
• Make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent to prevent a 22% tax hike for families
• Secure the border by hiring thousands of new border patrol agents and finishing the wall
• Strengthen and reform government programs like Medicaid and SNAP by reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, and initiating work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.

Let’s be clear: this bill does not cut Medicaid for children, seniors, people with disabilities, foster youth, or those battling addiction. Instead, it protects healthcare for the people who need it the most. Today, roughly 25% of Medicaid spending goes to non-disabled, working-age adults—with no requirement to work, volunteer, or pursue job training. This bill begins to change that

For Coastal Virginians, this bill delivers:
• No federal tax on tips, overtime pay, Social Security, or car loan interest
• A permanent 23% small business deduction to support local job creators
• Expanded childcare tax credits and HSA access for families, veterans, and seniors
• Medicaid reforms that preserve access for those in need and protect the long-term sustainability of the program

The bill also makes targeted investments in our national defense—supporting the men and women who serve, and the communities that build and maintain our military strength. It improves housing and healthcare for servicemembers, boosts special pay and family support, and includes critical funding for shipbuilding, innovation, and readiness. For a region like Coastal Virginia, these investments strengthen both our military and our economy.

While I’m encouraged that the bill preserves support for advanced nuclear energy — a key pillar of our clean energy future — I remain deeply concerned about other shortsighted provisions. Rather than responsibly phasing out clean electricity incentives, the bill abruptly ends support after 2028 and eliminates tax credits for leased systems often used by schools, local governments, and homeowners. These changes jeopardize local jobs, limit community access to affordable energy, and undercut innovation — especially in regions like ours, where energy resilience and national defense go hand in hand. Virginia has embraced an all-of-the-above energy strategy, and I firmly believe that energy security is national security. We should be strengthening, not undermining, the clean energy tools that support our economy, power our military, and keep costs down for working families.
As the bill moves to the Senate, I hope further changes will be made to protect the tax credits that are already creating jobs and providing energy for Virginia families.

This bill isn’t perfect—but it’s a serious, solutions-focused package that delivers for our healthcare system, our military, and the American taxpayer. I’m proud to support it—and I’ll keep working to protect Virginians and ensure Coastal Virginia remains a pillar of national strength and service.

Americans voted for change—and Congress is delivering.