House Passes Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' Cementing Major GOP Legislative Victory

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff   

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

In a historic and deeply polarizing moment, the House of Representatives narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package dubbed the "One Big, Beautiful Bill" by a 218-214 vote, handing Trump and the Republican Party one of their most significant legislative victories of his second term. The bill is set to be signed into law at 4 p.m. on Independence Day during a White House ceremony.

The landmark legislation, a cornerstone of Trump's second-term agenda, permanently extends the 2017 income tax cuts, introduces targeted tax breaks for overtime and tipped workers, increases defense and immigration enforcement spending, and rolls back major clean energy incentives enacted under President Joe Biden. In parallel, it institutes dramatic cuts to social safety net programs, including Medicaid and food assistance, sparking fierce backlash from Democrats and some moderate Republicans.

“This is a victory for the American people,” said Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), who led the GOP effort to rally support for the controversial bill. “On our nation's 249th birthday, we reaffirm our commitment to limited government, economic growth, and fiscal strength.”

However, the bill’s passage was far from smooth. The final vote followed an intense 24-hour stretch of negotiations, culminating in a record-breaking eight-and-a-half-hour floor speech by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who called the legislation “a crime scene” and warned that cuts to Medicaid could leave nearly 12 million Americans uninsured.

“Tens of thousands will suffer, year after year, as a result of this assault on the health care and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens,” Jeffries said during his marathon address.

Despite those concerns, only two Republicans Reps. Thomas Massie (KY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) ultimately voted against the bill. Trump, who personally met with holdouts and praised GOP unity, declared the bill “the biggest of its kind ever signed” and predicted it would “make this country into a rocket ship.”

Critics, however, pointed to the Congressional Budget Office’s projection that the bill will add $3.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. The cuts to environmental programs, healthcare, and food aid have also raised alarms among advocacy groups and economists alike.

In celebration of the bill’s passage, GOP lawmakers gathered for a ceremonial signing in the Capitol, where "YMCA" by Village People a Trump rally staple played loudly as Speaker Johnson signed the bill’s enrollment papers. President Trump is expected to capitalize on the momentum tonight in Des Moines, Iowa, where he will launch a yearlong celebration marking America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

The House will now recess until July 14, following the unexpected return this week to finalize the bill. Vice President JD Vance had previously broken a 50-50 Senate tie to send the bill to the House, solidifying its path to Trump’s desk.

As the nation heads into Independence Day celebrations, the political reverberations of this legislation from renewed GOP momentum to Democratic vows of resistance are just beginning.