After Intense Drama, President Donald Trump's Long-Awaited 'Big Beautiful Bill' Passes by Just 4 Votes
[Washington, July 4, 2025]
The United States Congress has officially passed President Donald Trump's much-anticipated "One Big, Beautiful Bill" on Thursday afternoon. Following all-night sessions in both the House and Senate, the bill now heads to President Trump's desk for signature — just in time to meet his self-declared Independence Day deadline.
The sweeping legislation advances Trump’s core policy priorities — on taxes, border security, defense, energy, and the national debt. In the House of Representatives, the bill passed by a narrow margin of 218–214, with only two Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) — voting against it.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and President Trump worked tirelessly overnight to win over skeptical GOP members. “The president was directly engaged. He answered questions, laid out his vision, and explained why this bill is so urgent,” Johnson said.
The House had already passed its own version of the bill by a single vote in May.
Senate Republicans adopted the measure in late June — with some key amendments — and sent it back to the House. Lawmakers reconvened in Washington on Wednesday morning to resume debate, beginning with a critical procedural "rule vote."
However, even before that vote, it became clear the bill was bleeding support from both moderate and conservative Republicans. Moderates were concerned about the Senate version shifting more Medicaid costs to states that had expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while conservatives were angry that it didn’t cut federal spending enough.
The vote finally began after 3 a.m. on Thursday morning. Prior to that, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) launched a lengthy speech attacking Republicans’ overnight tactics.
“If Republicans are so proud of this one big, beautiful bill, why did they start debate at 3:28 a.m.? Once again, the GOP is trying to jam this through under the cover of darkness,” Jeffries said.
On Wednesday night, House debate was paralyzed as five Republicans initially voted against moving the bill forward, and eight more didn’t vote at all. With the bill’s future hanging in the balance, Republican leaders kept the vote open for hours, negotiating with holdouts behind closed doors.
One House Republican told Fox News Digital that President Trump was personally involved in trying to sway dissenters.
Trump expressed his frustration on Truth Social, writing:
“FOR REPUBLICANS, THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY YES VOTE. RIDICULOUS!!!”
Eventually, nearly all Republicans returned to cast their votes, with only Rep. Fitzpatrick remaining opposed.
Speaker Johnson commented, “I had a long talk with Brian. He’s a good friend, and he has strong convictions about parts of the bill — which he has every right to express.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) added that members were reminded this was their only option:
“They understood — this is the vote in front of us, and it won’t change. There are more things we want to do later, but this has to get done first.”
Key Provisions of the Bill:
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Permanently extends income tax brackets lowered by Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
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Introduces new tax deductions: exempts tipped and overtime income up to certain limits, and offers special deductions for Americans over age 65.
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Repeals green energy tax credits introduced under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
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Increases funding for national defense and ICE to support Trump’s immigration enforcement goals.
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Raises the U.S. debt ceiling by $5 trillion to avoid a default this summer.
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Expands work requirements for Medicaid and federal food assistance programs.
Democratic Criticism:
Democrats have slammed the bill as a tax break for the wealthy, paid for by cuts to vital federal benefits for working Americans.
Republican Response:
Republicans argue that the bill targets relief toward working and middle-class Americans — highlighting the tipped wage and overtime exemptions — and reform welfare programs to better serve those truly in need.
Conservative Praise:
Club For Growth CEO David McIntosh said, “By preventing the biggest tax hike in history, ensuring full expensing, and starting cuts to bloated programs, this bill paves the way for a new Golden Age.”
Leading GOP Remarks:
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), Chair of the House Republican Study Committee, said, “We’ve delivered tax relief, unprecedented border security investments, bolstered defense, and made real spending cuts — we kept our promises.”
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), Chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, added, “Getting this bill over the finish line took years of work — field hearings, stakeholder meetings, and research into targeted tax policy.”
As of July 4, 2025, the passage of this bill is being hailed as a landmark legislative victory for the Trump administration.
