Washington– The GOP-led Senate has passed President Donald Trump’s ambitious legislative package, the One Big Beautiful Bill, marking a major step toward his goal of signing the bill into law before the July 4 holiday.
The sweeping legislation narrowly passed the Senate by a vote of 51–50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators — Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, and Rand Paul — broke party ranks and voted against the measure.
The bill is being hailed as the GOP’s most significant legislative victory ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, where the party faces the possibility of losing its slim majority in the House, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The legislation extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, eliminates taxes on tips, and includes new 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,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune following the vote.
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where a vote could take place as early as Wednesday.
“It’s a great 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,” President Trump said.
Democrats, however, have fiercely opposed the legislation, criticizing its tax cuts as disproportionately benefiting the wealthy and accusing it of gutting essential public services.
Among their chief concerns are proposed reductions to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. They argue the bill prioritizes corporate and high-income tax breaks at the expense of vulnerable Americans.
Democrats also warned that the legislation would significantly increase the national debt.
An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the Senate-passed version of the bill would add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade and widen the federal deficit by $3.3 trillion between 2025 and 2034.
The CBO also forecast that the legislation would result in 11.8 million Americans losing health insurance by 2034, primarily due to changes in healthcare provisions and funding cuts.
Those projections could pose significant challenges for the bill’s passage in the House, as opposition mounts ahead of the president’s target to sign it into law by July 4. (Source: IANS)
