Wahington: The Republican-controlled Senate has passed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, marking a major stride toward his goal of signing the legislation by week’s end.
Approved by a slim 51–50 margin, the vote was tipped by Vice President JD Vance. Republican Senators Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, and Rand Paul were the only members of their party to oppose the measure.
Touted as the GOP’s most consequential legislative victory ahead of next year’s midterm elections—where the party’s narrow House majority is at risk—the bill extends Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, eliminates taxes on tipped wages, and boosts funding for the military and border security.
"Today was a historic day ... and we're very excited to be a part of something that is going to make America stronger, safer and more prosperous," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after the bill passed the Senate.
But there remains one more major hurdle ahead, as the bill needs to be passed in the House of Representatives, which is expected to vote as early as Wednesday.
"It's a fantastic bill. There is something for everyone, and I think it's going to go very nicely in the House. Actually, I think it will be easier in the House than it was in the Senate," Trump said.
However, Democrats have been vehemently opposed to the mega-bill, which funds an agenda to which Democrats stand in stark contrast.
Democrats have slammed the bill, criticising its tax cuts as disproportionately favouring the wealthy under the guise of middle-class relief.
The bill has sparked fierce backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who argue it jeopardises critical safety-net programmes—slashing funding for Medicaid and food assistance—and risks worsening inequality. They also warn it could dramatically deepen the national debt.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), changes introduced in the Senate version of the bill would inflate the national debt by $2.4 trillion over the next decade and increase the federal deficit by approximately $3.3 trillion between 2025 and 2034.
The CBO also projects that 11.8 million Americans could lose their health insurance by 2034 as a result of the bill’s provisions—a forecast that could complicate its path through the House ahead of Trump’s self-imposed July 4 deadline.
(inputs from IANS)