Jun 9, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Dems fight Trump's budget bill with "Big Betrayal of Women" forum

Stephen Neukam

Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, speaks during a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. — Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The top women in Senate and House Democratic leadership will host a forum this week on how women are affected by President Trump's "big, beautiful bill," Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Democrats argue the GOP's proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and restrictions on reproductive health services, disproportionately affect women.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Min.), the No. 3 Senate Democrat, and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) will host the "Big Betrayal of Women" forum Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
Shalanda Young, formerly a top Biden administration official, will give witness testimony at the forum.

The big picture: The forum is part of Democratic efforts to define the bill on their own terms, with the minority party holding little leverage to actually stop its passage.

Klobuchar and Clark are joined by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nv.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) in hosting the forum. Other women lawmakers are expected to join the event.
Three women — identified as "Nancy" from Iowa, "Felecia" from Kansas and "Katina" from Virginia — will also testify at the forum. The women rely on SNAP and Medicaid to support themselves and their children.

Young is now a distinguished scholar in residence at New York University's Tax Law Center.

The bottom line: Trump and Republicans made up ground on Democrats among women voters in the 2024 election. Democrats will need strong margins with women to win in the 2026 midterm election.

Go deeper: Senators warn big bill would make credit harder to get for low-income families

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Scoop: Dems fight Trump's budget bill with "Big Betrayal of Women" forum

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