The United States Senate has commenced deliberations on President Donald Trump’s extensive 940-page tax bill, designated as the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which includes widespread tax reductions and substantial cuts to healthcare and food programs. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that the legislation would increase the US national debt by an estimated $3.3 trillion over ten years and lead to 11.8 million additional Americans becoming uninsured by 2034. Despite these estimates, Republican lawmakers, who contest the CBO’s figures, are striving to meet Trump’s July 4th deadline for passage. However, they narrowly secured the necessary support for a preliminary vote on Saturday, and several Republican dissenters required last-minute persuasion from Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Following this, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), who initially opposed the bill, announced he will not seek re-election after Trump threatened to endorse a primary opponent. Tillis cited the bill’s significant reductions in Medicaid as his reason for opposition.
President Trump addressed Republicans advocating for cost reduction measures, advising them not to be too aggressive, promising that economic growth would more than compensate for any cuts. The Senate bill is expected to encompass $4 trillion in tax cuts, permanently extending Trump’s 2017 tax rates and introducing new ones, including the elimination of taxes on tips. It would further repeal billions in green energy tax credits and impose $1.2 trillion in cuts predominantly affecting Medicaid and food stamps, with stricter eligibility requirements and work mandates.
The package also proposes to invest $350 billion in border and national security measures, some funded by new fees on immigrants. Democratic Senators, who are uniformly against the bill, have attempted to delay its passage, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Republican’s approach, calling it a rushed effort to conceal the bill’s content. The latest iteration of the bill reportedly includes more severe cuts to clean energy initiatives, potentially raising electricity costs and causing significant job losses in the clean energy sector.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders labeled the legislation as “the most dangerous piece of legislation in the modern history of our country” due to its prioritization of military funding over social welfare programs. The bill has dominated the weekend’s congressional schedule, with a subsequent amendment session, or “vote-a-rama,” expected before a final vote on passage. If approved by the Senate, the bill would need to be reconsidered by the House of Representatives. Economist Mike Johnson has urged House members to be prepared for a potential return to Washington this week to address the bill.
Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna noted the contentious nature of the bill, which could fulfill Trump’s campaign promises but is heavily criticized by Democrats for catering to wealthy individuals and corporations at the expense of social welfare programs. The bill also includes funding for immigration enforcement measures, such as the construction of immigration detention centers. Despite the opposition, Republican Senators remain determined to pass the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/30/us-senate-begins-debate-on-trumps-big-beautiful-bill?traffic_source=rss
