Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski is under fire for backing a bill that slashes health care funding, after she secured a tax break for the Alaskan whaling industry.
Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern, a Democrat, didn’t hold back. He blasted Murkowski as a “cheap date,” accusing her of trading the health of millions for a tax break on whaling harpoons.
Murkowski’s price: whales and SNAP
Humiliated & cowardly, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) ultimately voted in favor of moving this tragedy forward after getting Alaska-specific benefits … get this … increasing whaling captain deductions from $10,000 to $50,000
— RiotWomenn (@riotwomennn) June 29, 2025
She sold out the USA for 67 people
67 captains smh pic.twitter.com/k0UsMHhBLH
So what made Murkowski say yes? Two things: a tax exemption for Alaska’s whaling industry and expanded SNAP benefits for the state. Sources close to the negotiations said these sweeteners were added to win her vote.
“Probably the most difficult and agonizing legislative 24‑hour period that I have encountered,” Murkowski said shortly after casting her deciding vote, describing her emotional turmoil during negotiations.
She framed her decision as a balancing act for Alaska. “I had to look on balance, because the people in my state are the ones that I put first,” Murkowski told reporters on Capitol Hill. “We do not have a perfect bill by any stretch of the imagination. My hope is that the House is going to look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.”
What’s in the “Big Beautiful Bill”
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” cuts billions from Medicaid. It also slashes Affordable Care Act subsidies. Millions of Americans could see premiums rise. Many may lose coverage entirely. Health care advocates say the damage could be catastrophic.
Health care for millions, traded away
Sen. Lisa Murkowski should add a whole chapter to her book about the Alaska kickbacks added in secret to the GOP scam bill to buy her vote. Big tax break for whaling captains? Sure. She sold her vote to allow a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid. Shame on her. #murkowski pic.twitter.com/1P2gLLp8CW
— Dermot Cole (@DermotMCole) June 29, 2025
Critics argue Murkowski’s deal comes at a steep price. The bill guts programs that millions of Americans depend on. The Medicaid cuts alone could leave vulnerable families, seniors, and people with disabilities with nowhere to turn.
Subsidies that help middle-class Americans buy insurance on the ACA exchange are also being cut. Experts warn of higher premiums and mass coverage losses.
What happens next?
The bill now heads back to the House, where it will face intense scrutiny. Lawmakers on both sides are already blasting the last-minute carve-outs. Public backlash is growing. Advocacy groups are mobilizing. Senate moderates are under pressure.
Some insiders say the bill could still collapse. Others believe GOP leaders may double down and push it through. If passed, it would be a major legislative win for Donald Trump—and a crushing blow to health care access nationwide.
Murkowski’s vote has turned into a political flashpoint. Supporters say she stood up for Alaska. But critics see her as the face of everything wrong with backroom Washington deals.
