As Republicans face criticism for slashing Medicaid, Hawley tried to shift the focus to a less-noticed part of the law that will benefit victims of nuclear waste.

It also takes aim at Medicaid, the federal and state health program that covered 78.6 million low-income children and adults as of March 2025, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

President Donald Trump signed his domestic policy bill into law on July 4, 2025, which sees funding cuts to medicaid and other programs.