HR 1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was signed into law on July 4, 2025. This federal law will have far-reaching consequences on many issues affecting people in our communities. Following are a few talking points focused on how HR 1 will impact health and hunger for people in Alabama.

Health

• Did not extend enhanced tax credits that make insurance affordable for more than 400,000 Alabamians who get coverage through Healthcare.gov. Health insurance premiums more than doubled for many Alabamians, and the number of people signing up for health insurance decreased this year.
• Made expanding Medicaid in Alabama more difficult because it removed additional federal financial incentives and restricted one of the ways that potentially could have helped our state pay for expansion.
• Did not do enough to protect rural hospitals from closing or having to limit the services they provide. The Rural Health Transformation Fund created to help offset Medicaid cuts under the new law was not funded with enough money.

Hunger

• Requires Alabama to provide more money to continue SNAP (food stamps). This year, lawmakers must designate millions in new funding to continue SNAP, and likely even more money in coming years. More than 750,000 Alabamians, approximately 40% of whom are children, depend on SNAP to help access food.

If lawmakers cannot or will not provide the required funding, the state will have to reduce the number of SNAP participants or opt out of the program entirely.

• Set work requirements for certain people to receive SNAP benefits:
  • Many veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who have aged out of foster care.
  • All adults in a household with children aged 14 or older.
  • People aged 55 to 64.

We don’t know when, but those affected will get notice and opportunity to ask for an exemption.

What you can do

• Share what you learn with others and stay informed.
• Tell your federal and state lawmakers what you need for your community.
• Since this is an election year, find out where candidates stand on the issues that matter most to your community. Then vote and bring others to vote with you.