Olszewski Votes Against GOP Tax Bill After Marathon Debate Session

May 22, 2025
Press Release

Nonpartisan CBO confirmed incomes for the wealthy will increase while costing middle and low-income households

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Johnny Olszewski voted this morning against a massive bill backed by President Donald Trump that would fund tax cuts for the wealthy by increasing costs for the middle class, slashing critical healthcare and food assistance programs, and adding more than $3 trillion to the federal debt. The Republican budget reconciliation bill, which totaled 1,116 pages, passed in a 215-214-1 vote and now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
For nearly 30 hours, Congressman Olszewski joined House Democrats in sustained opposition to the bill, including delivering an impassioned floor speech at 3:55 a.m. You can see his full remarks here.
“At a time when too many families are struggling with higher costs, this bill will make life harder and more expensive for my constituents in Maryland’s Second District,” Congressman Olszewski said. “It’s no wonder House Republicans chose to debate it in the middle of the night and vote on it while most of the country was asleep.”
Olszewski joined House Democrats in filing more than 520 amendments to stop Republican cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, block tax breaks for the ultra-rich, and address special interests. Olszewski’s amendment exposed the hypocrisy of new but unnecessary Medicaid work requirements imposed under the legislation, simply ensuring that able-bodied Americans have access to a job before are booted from their healthcare coverage. You can read more about his amendment here.
Under the bill, 14,000 people will lose Medicaid coverage in Congressman Olszewski’s district alone. Another 9,000 who are covered under the Affordable Care Act will lose their healthcare and thousands more will see massive premium spikes. The 25,000 households who rely on SNAP to put food on the table could go hungry.
In social media posts, Congressman Olszewski also highlighted more nuanced measures in the original bill, such as a reduction in fees for gun silencers and tanning beds.
The U.S. Senate is expected to make changes to the bill, which will be sent back to the House for further consideration.
“The fight isn’t over,” Congressman Olszewski said. “I remain committed to using every tool at our disposal to stop this devastating scheme from ever becoming law.”
Issues: Economy