The Senate on Monday entered the final stages of debate over the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative priority combining permanent tax cuts, increased defense and border security spending, and significant reductions to healthcare and nutrition programs. The bill, which narrowly passed the House last month, is now undergoing a marathon “vote-a-rama” in the Senate, with lawmakers considering a flurry of amendments ahead of a July 4 deadline for passage.
At nearly 1,000 pages, the bill is a centerpiece of Trump’s second-term agenda. It would make permanent the 2017 Trump tax cuts, expand tax breaks, such as exempting tips and overtime pay from federal income taxes, boost military spending by $150 billion, fund mass deportations, and resume border wall construction. To offset costs, the bill imposes cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and eliminates many renewable energy subsidies enacted under the Biden administration.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill would increase the federal deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next decade. While the White House argues economic growth will offset these costs, independent analysts and many lawmakers remain skeptical.
Opposition has been fierce and largely partisan. Democrats call the bill a windfall for the wealthy at the expense of working-class Americans, citing cuts to health and food assistance. Even within the GOP, dissent has emerged: two Republican senators voted against advancing the bill, citing concerns over Medicaid cuts and the debt ceiling. The bill’s fate remains uncertain, with Senate passage in doubt and the House needing to approve any Senate changes before it can reach the president’s desk.
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