The Big Ugly Truth: Clyburn Sounds Alarm on Medicaid, Jobs, and SC’s Future at Columbia Town Hall
- CUBNSC
- Jul 27, 2025
- 3 min read
By Javar Juarez | Columbia Urban Broadcast Network (CUBNSC)
COLUMBIA, SC — At the historic Wylie Kennedy Foundation, concerned citizens, caregivers, elected leaders, and advocates gathered for a Medicaid Town Hall that did more than just inform — it ignited. Hosted by Care in Action and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the event was a rallying cry against the proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” — H.R. 1 — which Congressman James E. Clyburn bluntly renamed “The Big Ugly Bill.”
The town hall was a critical intervention at a time when millions of Americans — and hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians — stand to lose basic protections under this sweeping Republican-led legislation.
Care at the Center: Grounding the Conversation in Reality
The event was co-hosted by Care in Action, an advocacy organization uplifting women of color in the domestic workforce, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, which fights for dignity, fair pay, and workplace protections for nannies, home care aides, and house cleaners across the U.S.
Their presence brought home the real-world stakes of the legislation. Many in the room were not just observers — they were the very people who feed, clean, and care for the most vulnerable South Carolinians. Panelists including Senator Tameika Isaac Devine, Representative Terry Alexander, and several industry professionals spoke directly to the chaos this bill would unleash on working families, elderly care, and community health infrastructure.
Clyburn Delivers a Warning — And a Call to Arms
In a commanding keynote, Congressman James E. Clyburn held nothing back.
“I don’t care what you call this bill — not only is it ugly, it’s cruel,” he said to resounding applause.
Clyburn laid out the staggering consequences of H.R. 1 for South Carolina:
Over 200,000 South Carolinians could lose health coverage as Medicaid expansion is gutted.
ACA premiums are projected to nearly double by November 1, 2025.
22,000 clean energy jobs are on the line, threatening companies like Scout Motors, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz North Charleston (maker of the Sprinter Van).
SNAP recipients, even those already working, may be kicked off for paperwork errors under new verification traps. Including military service members.
Student loan payments will spike by $200/month on average for 42 million Americans, as income-based repayment is dismantled.
Perhaps most harrowing was Clyburn’s connection to rural healthcare. He warned that five more rural hospitals and six community health centers, including Eau Claire Cooperative Health, are at risk of closing under this bill’s cuts.
Medicaid in South Carolina: The Raw Numbers
From one of Clyburn’s slides:
43% of children rely on Medicaid
46% of pregnant women and newborns
33% of working-age adults with disabilities
63% of people in nursing homes
13.3% of adults aged 19–64
In SC-District 6 alone, 45,000 people are expected to lose Medicaid coverage
This is not theoretical. It’s structural abandonment.
Faith, Legacy, and the Political Moment
Clyburn invoked both Scripture and history to highlight the moral cost of inaction. Citing James 2, he said,
“It’s not enough to pray for the hungry and the naked — you have to feed them and clothe them. That’s what Medicaid and food stamps are about.”
He warned of political apathy becoming complicity. “Next November, if we vote, these increases may never kick in. If we don’t, they absolutely will.”
The Countdown Is On
A stark timeline projection displayed during the event showed the Big Ugly Bill’s impact beginning July 4, 2025, and worsening after the 2026 midterm elections. By 2028, critical programs like SNAP, Medicaid, student aid, and clean energy incentives will be hollowed out — unless voters change the outcome.
CUBNSC will continue reporting on this urgent threat to South Carolinians’ livelihoods and futures. As Clyburn reminded the room with the words of Dr. King:
“We will have to repent not just for the words of bad people — but for the appalling silence of good people.”
Voter registration stations were active at the event. “Don’t go to the slaughter like lambs,” Clyburn warned. “Raise your voice — and your vote.”
Boy you just be everywhere! The fact that you are able to do this amazes me young man. You capture the culture in a way the other outlets would never and that means so much. I hope others know what we have in you and we alll need to come together to give you some money I hope Mr Clyburn sees this and invests because the Media is under attack we need more black press in the USA you keep going! Godbless