Republicans, Independents and Democrats overwhelmingly oppose cuts to essential programs
June 10, 2025, Washington, D.C. — The National Parents Union (NPU) today released a new national survey revealing that parents across the political spectrum strongly oppose key provisions of the Republican-backed reconciliation bill. The results reflect widespread concern that the legislation would harm families and communities by prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy and large corporations while slashing funding for essential programs and services like Medicaid, SNAP, college financial aid, and public education. In contrast, the poll shows strong support for targeted tax relief for low- and middle-income families and small businesses.
“President Trump may be out there calling this bill ‘big and beautiful,’ but parents see it for what it is — dangerously ugly,” said Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union. “While Congressional Republicans hand out tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations, they’re slashing the very programs our kids and communities depend on — public schools, Medicaid, SNAP, and college aid. This legislation is a direct betrayal of families across America, and any lawmaker who supports it should expect to be held accountable at the ballot box.”
Key findings from the poll include:
What American parents actually support – by more than eight-in-ten – are tax cuts to low or middle income families as well as small businesses, with support never falling below 86% among Republicans and 75% among Independents across these proposals.
“Parents aren’t fooled and we’re not staying silent,” Rodrigues continued. “Republican, Independent, or Democrat, we want the same things: strong schools, healthy kids, and a fair shot at a better future. Any politician who thinks they can quietly vote to gut programs our families rely on is in for a rude awakening. This is bad policy and families across the country are ready to fight back.”
Polling also found that parents aren’t impressed by this administration. When asked to grade President Trump and Education Secretary McMahon on their job performance, parents gave them C to F ratings – clear evidence they’re failing American families.
The National Parents Union has been on the frontlines fighting for the best interests of families across the country as the reconciliation bill has progressed through Congress. Parents are rejecting the misleading narratives used to defend this bill. False claims that it merely targets “waste, fraud, and abuse” are being seen for what they are: attempts to justify harmful cuts that will primarily affect children and families living in poverty.
Medicaid provides essential healthcare for nearly 37 million of children in the U.S. and serves as the fourth largest source of federal funding for our public schools. Gutting this program would eliminate access to healthcare and undermine vital school based services for millions of families across the country who are already struggling to make ends meet and will have dire consequences.
In addition, one in five children rely on the SNAP program as their primary source of nourishment. These proposed reductions would deepen child hunger and hardship at a time when families are still reeling from the economic pressures of inflation and high costs of living, issues that President Trump and Republicans promised to address during the 2024 election campaign.
Parents from across the nation will be in Washington, DC from June 11-12 to meet with members of Congress and share firsthand how these harmful proposed cuts would impact their families and communities.
National Parents Union Survey
Survey of N=1,516 parents of public school students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade
Online survey, sample from Lucid online sample exchange
Field Dates: June 1-3, 2025
Margin of Error: ± 2.6 Percentage Points
Click here for toplines.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/