Trump’s “No Vacation” Demand
Trump’s big bill faces July 4 deadline as he demands Congress stay put until his sweeping package lands on his desk.
Both the House and Senate are under pressure, with weekend sessions and “flexible” schedules as the GOP scrambles to finalize a complex 1,000-page bill before Independence Day.
Tax Cuts: The GOP’s Top Priority
At the core of Trump’s bill is extending and expanding the 2017 tax cuts:
- Makes current tax brackets permanent
- No taxes on tips, overtime pay, and some auto loans
- Seniors earning under $75,000 get a new $6,000 deduction
- Wealthy households get a $12,000 cut
- Low-income households could lose $1,600/year (CBO)
- Child tax credit increases to $2,200 (Senate) or $2,500 (House)
- SALT cap fight: House wants $40,000 cap, Senate says it’s too high
Border Wall, Deportations & Trump’s “Heroes Garden”
The bill also includes over $350 billion for border and national security measures:
- Funds for the largest deportation effort in U.S. history
- 10,000 new ICE officers with $10,000 signing bonuses
- 100,000 immigration detention beds
- New immigrant asylum fees: $1,000
- Launches Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system
- $40 million allocated to establish a “National Garden of American Heroes”
How They’ll Pay: Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Green Energy
To offset the massive cost of tax cuts, GOP lawmakers are proposing steep social program cuts:
- Medicaid and SNAP work requirements for adults up to age 65
- Parents of kids over 10 must work to qualify for food stamps
- 10.9 million people could lose health coverage (CBO)
- 3 million could lose food aid eligibility
- House seeks a new $35 co-pay for Medicaid services
- Green energy incentives rolled back, including EV and wind/solar tax credits
Pushback from Rural GOP Lawmakers
Some Republicans are warning of the effects on rural hospitals, especially due to provider tax cuts that could reduce Medicaid reimbursements.
- 16 GOP lawmakers wrote a letter opposing provisions that threaten access to care
- A new rural hospital fund is being considered but remains unresolved
The Real Cost: Magic Math or Fiscal Mayhem?
- CBO estimates the House version will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit
- Senate GOP argues existing tax cuts don’t count as new spending
- Joint Committee on Taxation pegs cost at $441 billion (Senate version)
- CRFB says it could actually be $4.2 trillion over 10 years
- Democrats call the math “budget gimmicks”
Sen. Jeff Merkley: “This bill adds trillions of dollars to the debt to fund tax breaks for billionaires.”
Source: AP News
