On July 3, 2025, the House passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill, ”a nearly 1,000-page Republican package that blends permanent tax cuts with aggressive new spending on immigration enforcement. The legislation delivers on key Trump campaign promises while slashing funding for Medicaid, food aid, and climate initiatives, setting up a sharp partisan divide just ahead of the holiday weekend.
The final vote came at 218–214, with just two House Republicans breaking ranks. The Senate had passed it on July 1, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
What’s in the Bill?
At nearly 1,000 pages, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a maximalist rewrite of how the federal government spends—and who benefits. It locks in Trump-era tax cuts, carves out new breaks for tipped and overtime workers, and raises the SALT deduction cap.
It also reroutes massive spending toward immigration enforcement, defense, and policing at the expense of healthcare, food aid, and clean energy programs.
For immigration, the bill goes all-in on hardline policy: billions for border patrol, thousands of new ICE agents, and stricter asylum restrictions. States like Texas get the green light to ramp up their own border crackdowns. Supporters say it’s long overdue. Critics argue it’ll accelerate detentions, strip protections, and punish families more than smugglers.
The Congressional Budget Office pegs the price tag at $3.4 trillion over the next decade, with nearly 12 million Americans at risk of losing health coverage due to Medicaid cuts.
Speaker Mike Johnson hailed it as the cornerstone of a new American “golden age,” while Democrats warned of irreversible harm to seniors, children, and low-income communities. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered an 8-hour 33-minute floor speech—the longest ever—as a last-ditch protest.
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Social Media Backlash: What People Are Saying
As soon as the bill passed, platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok erupted:
Republicans in Congress have voted to devastate millions of people across our nation — kicking Americans off their health care, shuttering hospitals, eliminating food assistance, and raising costs.
This is Project 2025 in action.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 3, 2025
View this post on Instagram
@brutamerica The House debated late into the night on Thursday, July 3, over President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Here are highlights from several representatives. #Congress #TrumpBill #Politics #Legislation #HouseDebate ♬ original sound – Brut.
Johnson said the GOP plans to introduce a second reconciliation package in the fall to address items left out of this legislation. Meanwhile, President Trump is expected to sign the bill on July 4 during a ceremony at the White House.
With high-stakes policy shifts and public services on the line, analysts expect continued debate over the bill’s implementation and political consequences heading into 2026.
Trump-aligned actors boast it as the fulfillment of campaign promises; detractors call it a “death sentence” for social welfare.
