House Passes Trump's Sweeping Tax and Spending Bill by One Vote
- The New York Editorial Desk - Arif
- May 22
- 2 min read
Tone & Political Bias: Moderately Right-Leaning
Why: The article presents the legislative developments and policy details in a straightforward manner, focusing on the Republican-led initiatives and perspectives, with limited emphasis on opposing viewpoints.
Overview
On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R. 1) with a 215–214 vote. This comprehensive legislation, central to President Donald Trump's agenda, encompasses significant tax cuts, increased defense and border security funding, and substantial reforms to social welfare programs. The bill now advances to the Senate for further deliberation.
Key Provisions
Tax Policy
Extension of 2017 Tax Cuts: The bill extends provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, maintaining lower tax rates for individuals and corporations.
New Deductions: Introduces tax exemptions for tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest, effective through 2028.
Child Tax Credit: Increases the credit to $2,500 through 2028, then reverts to $2,000 thereafter.
State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: Raises the cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for individuals earning up to $500,000.
"Trump Accounts": Establishes savings accounts for parents, providing $1,000 per child to encourage investment.
Social Welfare Reforms
Medicaid: Implements work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, requiring 80 hours of work or community engagement monthly. These requirements are set to begin in December 2026.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Raises the age for work requirements from 54 to 64 and imposes stricter eligibility checks.
Healthcare Coverage: Prohibits Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from covering gender-affirming care for individuals of all ages. Also removes "gender transition procedures" from the Affordable Care Act's list of essential health benefits.
Planned Parenthood Funding: Bars federal Medicaid funds from being used for clinics that provide abortion services.
Defense and Border Security
Defense Spending: Allocates an additional $150 billion, including funding for unmanned drones and other military technologies.
Border Security: Provides $70 billion for border enhancements, including $46.5 billion for physical barriers and funds for hiring additional Border Patrol agents.
Fiscal Impact
Debt Ceiling: Raises the federal debt limit by $4 trillion to prevent a potential default.
Budget Deficit: The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add $3.8 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade.
Legislative Process and Political Dynamics
The bill's passage followed intense negotiations within the Republican Party. Speaker Mike Johnson navigated divisions between fiscal conservatives and moderates, making last-minute amendments to secure the necessary votes.
Notably, Representatives Thomas Massie (KY) and Warren Davidson (OH) voted against the bill, citing concerns over increased deficits. Representative Andy Harris (MD) voted "present," which did not affect the outcome.
All Democrats opposed the bill, criticizing it for favoring the wealthy and imposing cuts on programs benefiting low-income Americans. The bill's future in the Senate remains uncertain, with potential amendments anticipated during deliberations.
Next Steps
The Senate will now consider the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." Given the narrow margin in the House and the contentious nature of several provisions, the Senate is expected to engage in extensive debate and possible revisions before any final vote.
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