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U.S. Congressman Josh Brecheen stopped in Bartlesville Monday evening for a townhall event to discuss what he calls the “one big, beautiful bill (BBB),” which is a large legislative package he says will shape federal spending and tax policy for years to come.

Prior to the presentation before a large crowd at Tri County Tech, Brecheen lead in the Pledge of Allegiance and asked for civility during the event. He brought up what he had been told by law enforcement official in Washington, DC that there have been emails at texts coming from the state Democrat party urging spectators to be loud and disruptive.

Brecheen began his presentation stating that he is a member of the House Budget Committee. He said the BBB aims to prevent what he called “the greatest tax increase in American history,” which would have taken effect in 2026. He said the BBB maintains tax relief for working families, citing that earners between $15,000 and $50,000 see the largest percentage of benefit.

Brecheen also addressed concerns over Medicaid, saying that the program will continue to grow with inflation while introducing Clinton-era-style work requirements for able-bodied recipients.

Brecheen said the bill includes $150 billion in additional defense spending while trying to hold future discretionary budgets flat. He says it will potentially create savings of $500 billion over 10 years. He also spent time talking about the negotiations over eliminating wind and solar tax credits, which he stated unfairly shift taxpayer dollars to foreign-owned energy companies.

During the Q and A, a man who called himself Benjamin Dempsey, thanked Brecheen for the leading the pledge. He then asked about President Trump’s Executive Order to ban flag burning. Brecheen said he would look into that since the news on the issue broke while he was holding other townhalls. That is when Dempsey rose from his seat and tore a flimsy replica of a US flag in half before the crowd.

A woman stated her support of ending the US Dept. of Education, something Brecheen supports. He said that the department began in 1979 and that ever since then, testing scores have been going down.

One man took the time to be rhetorical in asking Brecheen if he had worked with the late Senator Colburn, who was known for wanting a more collegial nation, and asked, “Is your heart not breaking over the divisions we are seeing? Masked men taking people off the streets.”

A physical therapist asked why Medicaid was being cut and why her compensation for treating such patients was being reduced. Brecheen said this more a state issue with Sooner Care to which he agreed that something needs to be examined.

Brecheen’s next stop is Tuesday morning at 8am at the Nowata City-County Library to provide constituents with details on the legislation.