Indiana State Senator J.D. Ford: Hoosiers Deserved Better Than the Big Betrayal Bill

INDIANAPOLIS—State Senator J.D. Ford (D–Indianapolis) issued the following statement after the passage of the so-called “Big Betrayal Bill,” criticizing what he called a rushed, reckless decision that will leave Indiana families footing the bill for federal failures:

“This should never have been about staging a signing ceremony on the Fourth of July. It should have been about making sure Hoosiers could still afford to go to the doctor, keep food on the table and take care of their families.”

Ford, who has consistently pushed for proactive planning around expected federal cuts, warned throughout the session that Indiana’s budget was being built on shaky ground. Now, with sweeping changes to SNAP and Medicaid coming from Congress, Indiana will be left scrambling to respond.

“We knew this was coming. We said it out loud, over and over. We asked our Republican colleagues to plan for it, to budget responsibly and protect Hoosiers. Instead, we got silence. And now the cost is going to fall on working people, struggling families, and folks living paycheck to paycheck.”

According to fiscal analysts, Indiana could be forced to take on nearly $190 million a year just to maintain food assistance—and that’s before accounting for Medicaid work requirements, provider tax caps and rising service fees.

“The sad truth is this: Indiana didn’t make this mess, but we’re going to have to clean it up. And the clock is already ticking.”

Ford is calling for a public hearing within 30 days so lawmakers, agencies and community organizations can lay out exactly what’s at stake and begin the work of protecting Hoosiers from the fallout.

“This is where leadership matters. I didn’t wait to act—I’ve been working to prevent this from the start. But now we have to be clear-eyed about the road ahead. We owe it to Hoosiers to step up, speak plainly and get to work.”