The U.S. House of Representatives has passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tax and spending legislation, dubbed the “big, beautiful bill,” after weeks of tense negotiations within the Republican Party. The bill narrowly passed with a vote of 215-214, with two Republicans breaking ranks to vote against it and one voting present.
The bill, which now moves to the Senate for consideration, includes multi-trillion dollar tax cuts, increased defense spending, and funding for Trump’s mass deportation plans. It also eliminates taxes on overtime pay and tips—measures Trump campaigned on during his successful 2024 presidential run.
House Speaker Mike Johnson hailed the vote as a major legislative win. “This will make all the difference in the daily lives of hard-working Americans,” he said on the House floor. Trump echoed the sentiment on Truth Social, urging the Senate to act quickly.
One of the bill’s key components is the extension of the 2017 tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term. But the legislation also includes major spending cuts to social safety net programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves over 42 million Americans.
These proposed cuts triggered fierce backlash from Democrats and created rifts among Republicans. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned the bill would devastate lower-income Americans, particularly the elderly, disabled, and those relying on Medicaid for nursing home care. “People will die,” he said starkly during debate.
Trump’s personal intervention on Capitol Hill earlier in the week reportedly helped resolve internal Republican disagreements. Behind closed doors, he warned GOP holdouts to support the bill or face consequences.
The legislation carries a hefty price tag, projected to add $5.2 trillion to the national debt and increase the federal deficit by $600 billion in the next fiscal year. Concerns over fiscal responsibility were amplified last week when Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating.
Adding to the uncertainty, the bill’s more than 1,000-page text was released only hours before the vote, leaving open the possibility of yet-undiscovered provisions. If the Senate alters the bill, it would return to the House for another vote.
One looming issue is the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis, which suggests the bill’s impact on the debt could automatically trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, potentially violating Trump’s pledge not to touch the senior health care program. Republicans may need to tweak the bill to avoid those automatic reductions.
Democrats have vowed to make this vote a campaign issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, highlighting cuts to healthcare, environmental programs, and research, while framing the bill as a gift to the wealthy.
Despite the legislative victory, the narrow margin underscores the fragile nature of the Republican majority in the House. Even a small shift in public opinion could tip control back to Democrats and stall Trump’s agenda in its tracks.
