Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Ritchie Torres joined forces at Lincoln Hospital on Monday to rally against health care cuts that will result from the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The budget bill passed on July 4 and is expected to result in 1.5 million New Yorkers losing their health care coverage and 300,000 households losing some or all of their SNAP benefits, according to Hochul’s office.
Hochul and Torres spoke to a packed crowd in the auditorium of the South Bronx hospital, which houses one of the nation’s busiest emergency rooms.
They were joined by Lincoln Hospital CEO Cristina Contreras, health care workers, nonprofit leaders, constituents and members of the anti-gun violence group Guns Down Life Up, which is based at the hospital.
Hochul called Torres a “tireless fighter” for his district, which includes a wide swath of Bronx neighborhoods such as Mott Haven, Concourse, Allerton, Pelham Parkway and Tremont.
Torres — who previously contemplated challenging Hochul in the 2026 governor’s race — instead urged New Yorkers to come together behind her.
“Not the time for infighting. Now is the time for unity under the leadership of our governor, Kathy Hochul,” he said, calling the Bronx her “second home.”
Torres’ district to be hit hard by cuts
Torres said his constituents will suffer greatly under the Trump cuts because of the sheer number of people currently receiving benefits.
In NY-15, nearly 273,000 individuals across 158,306 households receive SNAP benefits, according to Hochul’s office. Seventy percent of Torres’ district population — well over half a million people — is enrolled in Medicaid, the highest rate in the country, and more than 94,000 are estimated to lose coverage.
In addition, nearly 13,000 NY-15 residents are expected to lose their state Essential Plan health coverage.
The Trump bill is “really screwing New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “There’s no sugarcoating it.”
She warned that not only will individuals lose benefits, but many hospitals, especially those in rural areas, will bring in less funding. Closures could result, meaning some residents may have to drive hours to the nearest hospital, Hochul said.
The governor said it was “cruel and depraved” to take away people’s health care and cut food for needy families. “Republicans in Washington have lost their soul,” she said.
Hochul pointed to several state initiatives aimed at offsetting the cuts, including free school breakfast and lunch for public school students beginning this fall, as well as tax cuts and inflation rebate checks.
Despite these actions, many New York families are increasingly concerned about the cost of food, rent, health care and other basic needs, she said.
Hochul vowed to continue the fight.
“History will judge us by how we stand up to this moment, and I want it to be said that New Yorkers stood up and fought back,” she said.
Torres told the crowd that while many Bronxites struggle to get by, Trump’s bill will only benefit those who already have incredible wealth.
“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are going to cut food, health care and energy for those who live on $20 a day in order to add tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk, who has a net worth of $400 billion,” he said.
Torres said Trump campaigned in Crotona Park promising to stand up for working-class families, “but instead, he has betrayed them.”
“If we don’t fight for the health care needs of the Bronx, then who else will?” said Torres. “The burden is on our shoulders.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
