In a significant legislative milestone, President Donald Trump’s wide-reaching tax and domestic policy bill—dubbed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill”—has passed both chambers of Congress and is scheduled to be signed into law at 5 p.m. on July 4 at the White House. The 218-214 vote in the House followed hours of heated debate, culminating in a record-breaking speech by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who spoke for over eight-and-a-half hours in protest.
A Defining Legislative Victory
The bill marks a key victory for the Republican Party, which has held majorities in the House, Senate, and presidency since the 2024 elections. President Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and congressional GOP leaders pushed the nearly 900-page legislation through Congress with minimal Democratic support. The final Senate vote passed 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
Trump celebrated the passage on Truth Social, calling it “one of the most consequential Bills ever,” and is expected to tout the achievement tonight in Des Moines, Iowa, during the kickoff of a yearlong celebration marking America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
What’s in the Bill?
The legislation impacts nearly every corner of the U.S. economy:
- Tax Cuts: Permanently extends 2017 tax cuts and adds new deductions—up to $25,000 for tips and overtime income, and a temporary $6,000 deduction for seniors over 65.
- Medicaid Changes: Imposes work requirements for “able-bodied” adults starting Jan. 1, 2027, and cuts nearly $1 trillion in funding, potentially leaving between 12 to 20 million people uninsured.
- Social Safety Net Reductions: Reduces enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by an estimated 2 million people.
- Business Incentives: Introduces expanded tax benefits for corporations.
- Rollbacks: Eliminates clean energy credits established during President Joe Biden’s administration.
- National Projects: Allocates $150 million for America’s 250th anniversary and $40 million for Trump’s “National Garden of American Heroes.”
The bill is projected to increase the national deficit by roughly $3.4 trillion over the next decade.
Democratic Opposition
Democrats in both chambers uniformly opposed the bill, calling it a devastating blow to the nation’s most vulnerable populations. Jeffries, in his marathon speech, called the legislation “a crime scene,” criticizing it for “gutting Medicaid, ripping food from the mouths of children, seniors and veterans, and rewarding billionaires.”
Despite the opposition, the speech had an unexpected twist: Vice President JD Vance revealed that a Republican House member texted him saying Jeffries’ performance convinced him to support the bill.
GOP Celebrations and Plans for More
After the vote, Republicans gathered in a ceremonial room near the House floor, where Speaker Johnson signed the bill to the tune of “YMCA,” a regular fixture at Trump campaign rallies. “We had a vision… I believed in this group. I believe in America,” Johnson said.
Johnson also announced that no House votes would take place the following week. Meanwhile, Republican leaders like Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) are already discussing a potential second budget package to further the GOP’s legislative goals.
What Comes Next?
Trump is expected to sign the bill into law during a July 4 ceremony. The timing is symbolic: Independence Day marks not just America’s founding, but, according to Republicans, a “new era of economic freedom and responsibility.”
As Trump heads to Des Moines for a “Salute to America” rally and fireworks, Democrats remain vocal in their criticism and warn that the bill could have far-reaching negative consequences—particularly for healthcare access and income inequality.
Still, with the House and Senate now in recess until mid-July, the next chapter in this political showdown will play out not on Capitol Hill—but across the nation, as Americans begin to feel the effects of the most transformative piece of legislation in President Trump’s second term.
