Statement by New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento on the Passage of the Big Ugly Betrayal

First and foremost, I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation to our affiliates, their members, and our community partners for joining us in our federal fightback campaign against Congressional Republicans, who are directly responsible for the devastating effects this disastrous bill will have on New Yorkers.

Through your efforts we were able to make an important change to the final passage of the bill, removing the proposed 10-year moratorium on regulating artificial intelligence, which would have endangered jobs, rights, and safety.

I’m proud of the work we've accomplished together, including making more than 46,000 calls to our fellow union members and connecting them with their members of Congress. We conducted multiple meetings with elected leaders, held a statewide forum to educate members about the impact of this bill, and supported vigils, rallies, and press conferences in targeted districts to highlight the harm that Congressional Republicans will be held accountable for.

However, the bill still contains a significant amount of damage that will result in more than one million people losing their healthcare in New York State, the closure of hospitals and nursing homes, and a quarter of a million New Yorkers facing cuts to the SNAP food assistance program. It also includes cuts to energy tax credits and funding for infrastructure, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs in construction, manufacturing, and other related industries.

The bottom line is that our Republican members of Congress have turned their backs on workers and their families to provide massive tax breaks to the wealthy. In New York State alone, it costs billions in federal funding, shifting the burden directly to New York State taxpayers.

Let me be clear. This fight doesn't end here. The union movement is focused, engaged, and activated. We will hold our elected leaders accountable.

In the lead up to 2026, we will continue to organize, educate, and build our structure and capabilities. This is a critical time in the history of our country and our state, and we will meet that moment head-on, standing side by side, together with all of you.