Pennsylvania’s reaction to the passage of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a study in contrasts, although mostly along party lines.

Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson called the bill a “game-changer for America” and a “victory for rural America,” while Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman termed the act a “disaster” and voted “HELL NO” on the bill.

Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, on the other side of the aisle, strongly supported the measure and said it is a “major win” for Pennsylvania families.

Those in favor of the legislation, which Trump signed into law Friday on the Fourth of July holiday, highlight provisions that make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, expand the Child Tax Credit, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, and improve border security, national defense and energy production.

Thompson said, “This historic legislation delivers the largest tax cut in American history, providing direct relief to working families and boosting take-home pay. It slashes wasteful Washington spending, eliminates red tape, and makes major investments in border security, energy independence and national defense. It is the codification of President Trump’s campaign promises.”

McCormick said on July 1, ahead of the House’s final vote, “I am proud to support this bill because it would deliver continued tax relief to millions of Pennsylvania families and prevent the largest tax increase in American history.”

McCormick said that making Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent will save the average Pennsylvania family $2,500 per year, while also noting the bill increases the Child Tax Credit and increases the standard deduction according to inflation.

He also noted progress made on school choice, which, he said, “will give educational opportunity to all Pennsylvanians.” The bill marks the first time that a federal tax credit will be used to support private and home-based education to such a significant degree. Some call the action a win for parental choice, while others say the provision will harm public schools by diverting funding.

“No bill is perfect,” McCormick stated on his website, “but these provisions will make a real difference in the lives of people working hard to make ends meet and raise their families across the commonwealth.”

Its detractors say the One Big Beautiful Bill Act adds trillions to the national debt, cuts Medicaid funding, jeopardizes SNAP benefits and threatens the operating budgets of rural hospitals and nursing homes.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro stated ahead of the vote that “the bill Congressional Republicans are rushing to pass would have devastating impacts on Pennsylvania.” Lt. Gov. Austin Davis shared his sentiment, calling the bill “absurdly cruel and unconscionable.”

Shapiro and Davis have referred to the estimate that more than 300,000 Pennsylvanians would lose Medicaid and about 150,000 would lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Republicans, meanwhile, have emphasized that individuals and families who depend on those services won’t see them cut; rather, the programs would be excised of waste, fraud and abuse.

Fetterman said the 940-page bill was rushed through without providing lawmakers time to read the entire act.

“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle wrote and passed this 940-page bill without giving us time to read it. I’ll keep fighting to protect healthcare, defend nutrition assistance, block giveaways for billionaires, and prevent trillions more added to our national debt,” Fetterman said July 1, before the bill was signed into law. “This bill is now in the hands of my colleagues in the House, where hopefully a handful of Republicans will put their constituents before campaign donors and shut this down.”

Thompson said upon its passage, “The One Big Beautiful Bill is a victory for rural America, making the largest investment in agriculture in decades, restoring integrity to SNAP, and saving millions of family farms from the death tax. This bill gives President Trump the tools he needs to keep America safe, strong and free.”