The United States Senate, led by Republicans, has taken a significant step toward passing President Donald Trump’s flagship legislation, the 940-page ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, after it cleared a key procedural hurdle late Saturday night in a 51-49 vote. The bill will now move to the next round of discussions in the Senate.
According to Al Jazeera, the legislation, which Trump wants Congress to pass prior to July 4, included a main bill featuring a staggering $150 billion increase in military spending, mass deportation, and border wall funding.
To find the money for these expenditures, the bill proposes massive cuts to federal programs, including Medicaid, and clean energy incentives. This sparked outrage across party lines and within the Republican ranks, the outlet said.
Late-night votes follow Republican negotiations
After closed-door negotiations and pressure from Vice President JD Vance, Senate Republicans were able to convince holdout Senator Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) to support the bill. Senators Rand Paul and Thom Tillis, however, joined all 47 Democrats in voting against the measure.
The Al Jazeera report added that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the move to release the bill in the dead of night, accusing Republicans of trying to rush it through without proper scrutiny. He, in response, demanded a full reading of the bill on the Senate floor, a process expected to take 15 hours.
What is Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill?
The critics, as per the report, have zeroed in on the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid, which could devastate rural hospitals and leave an estimated 8.6 million Americans without health coverage. The bill also sought to eliminate taxes on overtime pay, a move Trump has touted as ‘pro-worker’, though economists have warned it disproportionately benefits high-income earners.
Environmental advocates, meanwhile, have raised alarms over the rollback of EV tax credits and cuts to clean energy programs established during the Biden administration. Nonpartisan budget analysts, according to Al Jazeera, have also estimated the bill could add trillions to the national debt, currently sitting at $36.2 trillion, while redirecting wealth from the poorest Americans to the ultra-wealthy.
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Elon Musk, who fell out with Trump over the bill’s economic priorities, led another round of criticisms over the weekend, calling the bill “utterly insane and destructive.” He said that it would bring on “immense strategic harm” and termed it “political suicide for the Republican Party.”
What happens next?
If the bill passes in the Senate, it must then return to the House of Representatives, with Republican leadership facing pushback from the conservative and moderate wings of the party. With a thin margin for error in the Republican majority, any defections could mean the measure dies before it even goes to Trump’s desk.
FAQs
What Medicaid cuts are in the Big Beautiful Bill?
The bill drastically reduces Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 8.6 million people and many rural hospitals.
What are the highlights of the Big Beautiful Bill?
The proposed budget includes a $150 billion military spending boost, funding for the border wall, tax cuts on overtime pay, and deep cuts to Medicaid and clean energy programs.
Is there no tax on overtime in the Big Beautiful Bill?
Correct. The bill removes taxes on overtime pay as part of its tax reform.
Where can I read the One Big Beautiful Bill?
The full text is available through the US Senate’s official legislative records or by request from your local congressional office.
