“Big Beautiful Bill” Vote Looms Amid Uproar Over Program Cuts

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — A sweeping tax and spending bill backed by President Donald Trump, called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” cleared the U.S. House and now faces fierce debate in the Senate. The bill passed the House on May 22 by a narrow 215–214 vote, setting the stage for a political showdown ahead of the July 4 holiday.

Nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” or OBBBA, the legislation bundles dozens of policy changes into one massive 1,000-page package. Supporters say it strengthens the economy, cuts red tape, and restores “America First” priorities. But critics—including some Republicans—warn that the bill slashes aid to low-income families and balloons the national debt.

What’s in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill?

The OBBBA includes a mix of tax breaks, spending increases, and sharp budget cuts:

• Tax Cuts: The bill makes permanent the 2017 Trump-era tax cuts and adds new ones for overtime pay, tips, and car loan interest.
• “Trump Accounts” for Newborns: It offers $1,000 savings accounts for children born after 2024.
• Child Tax Credit: Temporarily raises the child tax credit to $2,500 through 2028 before returning to $2,000.
• SALT Deduction Cap: Raises the state and local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000.
• Military and Border Funding: Adds $150 billion for the military and $46.5 billion for expanded border security and wall construction.
• Spending Cuts: Slashes Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and renewable energy tax credits. It also adds stricter work requirements for benefit programs.

The bill also bans states from passing their own artificial intelligence regulations and includes other provisions touching on housing, education, and fossil fuels.

Impact on working class Americans

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill could cause 10.9 million Americans to lose health insurance coverage. It’s projected to increase the national debt by $2.8 trillion over the next decade.

For Black families, many of whom already face barriers in healthcare access and economic mobility, the proposed cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs are especially alarming. Civil rights groups say the bill could deepen wealth gaps and threaten hard-won gains in public health and education.

Senate Republicans Split as Big Beautiful Bill Faces Internal Pushback and Policy Revisions

While the bill passed the House with support from nearly all Republicans, Senate Republicans remain divided.

Senate GOP Leader John Thune aims to hold a vote by Monday, but moderate Republicans have pushed back. Several senators, including Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have raised concerns about the bill’s scale and deep social program cuts.

“I respect President Trump … but I don’t bow to anybody when the people of North Carolina are at risk,” Senator Tillis said.

The Senate’s version of the bill includes changes: a smaller SALT deduction cap, deeper cuts to Medicaid, and expanded tax credits for seniors. It also omits several controversial sections after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled them out of order.

Parents Across Party Lines Reject GOP Budget Cuts

The National Parents Union (NPU) released a national poll on June 10 showing strong bipartisan opposition to the Republican-backed reconciliation bill, which proposes deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, public education, and college financial aid while giving tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations.

Parents across political lines overwhelmingly oppose these cuts: 83% reject cuts to education, 80% oppose Medicaid reductions, 76% disapprove of cutting college aid, and 74% stand against SNAP cuts. Support for corporate tax breaks and tax cuts for high earners was low. Over 80% of parents favored relief for low- and middle-income families and small businesses.

NPU President Keri Rodrigues called the bill “dangerously ugly” and a “direct betrayal of families,” warning that lawmakers who support it will face accountability at the polls.

“Parents aren’t fooled and we’re not staying silent,” Rodrigues continued. “Republican, Independent, or Democrat, we want the same things: strong schools, healthy kids, and a fair shot at a better future. Any politician who thinks they can quietly vote to gut programs our families rely on is in for a rude awakening. This is bad policy and families across the country are ready to fight back.” The group also gave President Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon failing marks for their performance.

Rodrigues noted Medicaid covers 37 million kids and funds schools, while SNAP feeds one in five children. NPU leaders and parents from across the country met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., in early June. They shared how the proposed cuts would harm their families and communities.

Faith Leaders, Experts, and Democrats Unite to Oppose Budget Cuts Targeting the Nation’s Most Vulnerable

Democrats have used Senate rules to slow debate and try to block the bill altogether. Economists, faith leaders, and health experts warn the bill would hurt poor and working-class families most.

“If this budget passes, it will unleash years of needless suffering on our nation’s most vulnerable, preying on those with the least and undermining the dignity of hardworking, low-wage Americans. We must not—and will not—stop praying and advocating against this deadly and unjust bill,” said Bishop William J. Barber II, a prominent American Protestant minister, social justice activist, author, and academic.

Notably, Barber and other moral leaders were arrested in the Capitol rotunda on three consecutive Moral Mondays.

“We are going back to the Rotunda to pray—because we love the people of this nation too much to remain silent, and so we must raise our voices in moral demonstration and dissent,” shared Bishop Barber.

What’s Next?

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill by June 30. If passed, the revised version will return to the House for final approval. Trump has signaled he will sign it immediately if it reaches his desk.

As lawmakers race toward the holiday deadline, many families across the country are bracing for what could come next.

The Black Wall Street Times will continue following this story as it develops.