Exploring the Influence of the Samosa Caucus

1. What is the ‘Samosa Caucus’?

The term ‘Samosa Caucus’ informally refers to a group of six Indian-American lawmakers currently serving in the U.S. Congress. The members include Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, and Shri Thanedar — all Democrats representing different districts across the United States.

2. Why did the Samosa Caucus oppose Donald Trump’s budget bill?

The caucus opposed the proposed budget due to its perceived adverse effects on healthcare, social welfare, and economic equity. Key reasons for opposition included:

• It removes health insurance coverage from millions of Americans.
• It offers tax breaks benefiting the ultra-wealthy and large corporations.
• It increases healthcare costs while cutting food assistance programs like SNAP and Medicaid.
• It risks widening the fiscal deficit and placing a long-term burden on the economy.

3. What did the budget bill propose regarding health and social welfare?

The bill sought to:

• Eliminate health coverage for nearly 17 million Americans.
• Reduce federal funding for Medicaid and SNAP, impacting low-income households.
• Preserve tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations.

4. What was the projected fiscal impact of the budget bill?

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the proposed budget would increase the U.S. fiscal deficit by approximately $4.5 trillion over the next decade due to declining revenues and sustained spending levels.

5. What did Indian-American lawmakers say about its local impact?

• Raja Krishnamoorthi: Called the proposal a “moral failure.”
• Ami Bera: Warned it would strip healthcare access from Californians and other Americans.
• Shri Thanedar: Highlighted its potential to harm already vulnerable districts.
• Suhas Subramanyam: Criticized its adverse effects on working families and small businesses.

6. What provision did the bill include on remittances?

The bill proposed a 1% tax on foreign remittances, expected to raise around $10 billion in additional revenue. However, this measure directly affects immigrant workers, including Indian-origin citizens, who regularly send money to their families abroad.

7. How does this remittance tax affect Indian-Americans?

The remittance tax could have several implications:

• It increases the financial burden on Indian-Americans supporting relatives in India.
• It reduces the amount of money reaching Indian households, potentially impacting local economies dependent on NRI inflows.
• It may be viewed as a policy disproportionately affecting immigrant communities.

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt