In her first public statements about the bill’s deep cuts to health care and food aid, Lee explains why she stayed quiet until now and what she’s been doing behind the scenes to protect Oaklanders.
by Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein July 9, 2025 (Oaklandside.com)
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Yesterday, The Oaklandside reported on the GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a piece of federal legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law on the Fourth of July. Rep. Lateefah Simon and other Oakland elected officials spoke out immediately, charging that the bill’s massive cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, and other social services would be devastating to Oakland’s residents; The Oaklandside also reported that Mayor Barbara Lee had been noticeably silent.
We reached out to Mayor Lee over several days to get her thoughts about the bill and to hear what she’s doing to marshal outside resources for the city to compensate for the impending loss of federal funds. Lee’s communications director, Justin Phillips, did not get us a response by press time.
This morning, he sent Lee’s responses to The Oaklandside, including her thoughts about the bill and the strategies she’s pursuing to protect the people of Oakland. As these are her first public statements about a piece of federal legislation that will have a major impact on Oakland’s most vulnerable communities, we have included them here in full.
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On President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”:
There’s nothing beautiful about this bill. It is a cruel policy disguised as fiscal reform. It sacrifices the health and wellbeing of working families, people of color, low income people, seniors, children and immigrants to deliver tax breaks to the wealthy.
As someone who helped defend Medicaid, SNAP [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps], and global development investments for decades — and delivered billions in federal funding to my former congressional district — I see this for what it is: a political document that will hurt thousands of people in Oakland and millions across the country. I intend to continue to work with our federal representatives to ensure Oakland remains a priority in all policies, funding and appropriations decisions.
On why she waited several days to criticize the bill:
We’ve been doing the work. Since the bill passed, my team has been focused on coordinating with Alameda County, state agencies, and community partners to identify what’s at risk and where we need to act. The urgency is real, but so is the need for a responsible, organized response. My job as mayor is not just to comment — it’s to lead with solutions.
On what she’s doing to respond to the bill’s cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Planned Parenthood:
My office is working with the county and the state to identify the programs most exposed to federal cuts — particularly those serving families on Medi-Cal, CalFresh recipients, and patients at community clinics. We’re exploring how to use local tools, including Measure W, to close critical gaps and support frontline providers.
We’re also working with other mayors to mount a coordinated response, so no one city stands alone. That includes legal strategy, policy advocacy, and joint funding efforts to shield our residents from harm. These challenges are real, however we will continue working to address them.
We’re leveraging every relationship — from state government to philanthropy — to identify new support for healthcare, housing, food access, and immigrant services. Oakland has always been resilient, but this moment calls for deeper collaboration and bold leadership.
My experience in Congress and in coalition-building is helping us navigate those conversations now.
On why she hasn’t been a louder voice of protest:
I’ve never shied away from speaking the truth — and I won’t start now. But this isn’t about statements. It’s about action. My focus is on protecting Oaklanders. I’m committed to standing up for our city in a way that’s strategic, not reactive, and that gets real results. We’re resisting the dangerous Trump administration policies and my focus, as it has always been, is on representing and working for those that I serve.
I served in Congress during the first Trump administration and I’ve spent my career standing up to harmful federal policies. I won’t stop now. Oakland’s values are clear, and so is our responsibility to defend them. We’re prepared to fight for our community while avoiding unnecessary risk — that’s what responsible leadership requires.
On which cuts will hit Oakland hardest:
We’re deeply concerned about the potential loss of Medicaid funding, which would jeopardize care for tens of thousands of Oaklanders who rely on Medi-Cal. We’re also watching CalFresh and food security resources closely. Cuts to these programs don’t just hit individual households — they ripple through our entire public health, housing, and education ecosystems.
I’ve fought over the years to support Planned Parenthood and will continue to do so. It provides vital women’s healthcare. I helped fight to expand federal funding for reproductive care, and I know what it means when that support gets stripped away. If these cuts take effect, we risk losing jobs, closing clinics, and leaving patients with nowhere to go. We are not waiting for that to happen — we’re actively preparing.
On what she’s doing to secure resources for Oakland:
I’ve worked closely with the California Legislature as well as with the private sector, our federal officials, and philanthropy since taking office 50 days ago and have had productive meetings and outcomes.
We met with the governor’s office, CalTrans, and the county to develop a partnership with our allies to develop a strategic partnership to ensure Oakland is a priority in all funding opportunities.
This work doesn’t always make headlines, but it’s happening every day.
ELI WOLFE
Eli Wolfe reports on City Hall for The Oaklandside. He was previously a senior reporter for San José Spotlight, where he had a beat covering Santa Clara County’s government and transportation. He also worked as an investigative reporter for the Pasadena-based newsroom FairWarning, where he covered labor, consumer protection and transportation issues. He started his journalism career as a freelancer based out of Berkeley. Eli’s stories have appeared in The Atlantic, NBCNews.com, Salon, the San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere. Eli graduated from UC Santa Cruz and grew up in San Francisco.More by Eli Wolfe
NATALIE ORENSTEIN
Natalie Orenstein is a senior reporter covering City Hall, housing and homelessness for The Oaklandside. Her reporting on a flood of eviction cases following the end of the Alameda County pandemic moratorium won recognition from the Society of Professional Reporters NorCal in 2024. Natalie was previously on staff at Berkeleyside, where she covered education, including extensive, award-winning reporting on the legacy of school desegregation in Berkeley Unified. Natalie lives in Oakland, grew up in Berkeley, and has only left her beloved East Bay once, to attend Pomona College.More by Natalie Orenstein
