July 02, 2025

Congresswoman Norma Torres Leads Letter from Former Mayors in Urging Speaker Johnson to Halt Harmful Big Ugly Reconciliation Bill

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), along with other former Mayors serving in Congress, sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of the House Republican-led Big Ugly reconciliation package. In the letter, the signers—all of whom have firsthand experience managing city budgets and responding to local community needs—warn that the bill’s drastic cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and job-creating tax credits would be catastrophic for local governments and working families alike.

“As a former mayor, I know the real consequences of decisions made in Washington,” said Rep. Norma Torres, who previously served as Mayor of Pomona, California. “This bill is not beautiful—it is brutal. It guts healthcare, slashes food assistance, and pulls the rug out from under job-creating programs, all to finance massive tax giveaways to the ultra-wealthy. Our cities and constituents will pay the price.”

The letter outlines the projected consequences of the proposed legislation:

  • The largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history—a $1 trillion reduction in coverage, stripping healthcare from 17 million Americans and putting rural hospitals and city health systems under immense strain. Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal in California.

  • Drastic cuts to SNAP and child nutrition programs, which feed 42 million Americans—including 1 in 5 children—while shifting costs to already-overburdened states and cities. SNAP is known as CalFresh in California

  • Threats to infrastructure, energy, and clean manufacturing jobs, risking nearly 2 million American jobs, and weakening energy independence in favor of foreign competitors.

“This bill is a job-killer, a healthcare wrecker, and a hunger-inducer,” Torres continued. “It is nothing more than a cynical effort to rob working families in our cities and towns in order to further enrich those at the very top. There’s still time to stop this and get it right. Our cities deserve better. Our people deserve better.”

The letter, grounded in the shared experiences of former mayors, urges Speaker Johnson to reconsider the partisan path of the current reconciliation process and instead work across the aisle on a proposal that supports—not sacrifices—American families.

The letter from former Mayors was signed by the following Members of Congress:

  • Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), former Mayor of Pomona, CA. 

  • Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), former Mayor of Hermosa Beach, CA.

  • Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), former Mayor of Monterey Park, CA. 

  • Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), former Mayor of Kansas City, MO.

  • Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30), former Mayor of Glendale, CA.

  • Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42), former Mayor of Long Beach, CA.

  • Rep. Sam Liccardo (CA-16), former Mayor of San Jose, CA.

  • Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), former Mayor of South San Francisco, CA.

  • Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04), former Mayor of Phoenix, AZ.

  • Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), former Mayor of Tacoma, WA. 

  • Rep. Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), former Mayor of Glen Cove, NY.

Full letter

###