On Tuesday, the US Senate voted on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“one great beautiful law”), combining the cuts of taxes promised by Donald Trump with social expenditure cuts and increasing expenditure on migrant deportations. The project, which is to increase the American debt by almost $ 4 tr.
The Senate was adopted by the Senate after over 24 hours of debate, political fairs and votes on almost 50 amendments. Three republican senators voted against, one of whom Thom Tillis, announced a departure from the Senate after President Donald Trump threatened to support his rival in next year's election.
Due to the amendments introduced, the Act will again go to the House of Representatives. At the beginning of June, the Chamber supported the act in its original shape, but it is not clear whether it would accept it in a new wording.
The project was formally called “one great beautiful act” because it combines Many Trump's tax promises, among others
- consolidation of tax cuts introduced in 2017 for 10 years,
- Tip tax exemption,
- earnings for overtime and social security benefits
With deep cuts of social expenses, including
- State health insurance for the least earners (Medicaid),
- Private insurance subsidies under Obamacare,
- Vouchers programs for the purchase of food (SNAP).
In addition, the project provides for an increase in the budget for migrants and border security, introduces high fees for asylum seekers, and also contains a one -off increase in defense expenses by $ 150 billion, which is to increase expenses to $ 1 trillion.
“This is a great act. There is something for everyone there,” the Trump project praised on Tuesday.
According to the analysis of the Congress Budget Bureau (CBO), despite the assumed cuts, the project will contribute to increasing deficits in the budget by $ 3.8 trillion in 10 years. CBO also forecasts that the Senate version of the project will cause almost 12 million Americans to lose health insurance.
According to the forecast of the Yale Budget Lab center, 20 percent will gain the most on the changes. The most earning Americans (those who earn over $ 120,000 a year). Earnings of this group will increase by almost 2.2 percent. ($ 5.7 thousand), while the act will hit 20 percent the most. The worst paid, reducing their income by almost 3 percent. ($ 700).
Trump wants Congress to finally adopt the act before Independence Day (July 4). The chairman of the Chamber of Representatives Mike Johnson announced shortly after voting in the Senate that he would try to lead to this before the date appointed by the president.
On Tuesday, the president estimated that the project would easily go through the Chamber of Representatives, “much easier than the Senate.” He also argued that the analysis of the effects of the Act is incorrect and the cuts of social benefits would only concern “fraudsters” and “waste”. However, he refused to provide actual numbers regarding the consequences of the new regulation.
Despite these words, the further fate of the Act is not yet sure, even despite the majority in the Chamber owned by the Republicans. The project was previously criticized by both republican “budget hawks”, demanding deeper cuts of expenses and a smaller deficit, as well as headquarters, concerned about cuts in social programs. The Republican Congressmen Marlin Stutzman admitted on Tuesday on CNN that he does not know how his party can collect a sufficient number of votes.
The House Freedom Caucus group, representing the extreme wing of the party, condemned the Senate project on Monday, suggesting that it would not support it.
Among the decisive critics of the project is also the billionaire Elon Musk, a former adviser and sponsor of President Trump's campaign. At the beginning of June, Musk condemned the document for increasing the state's debt. The billionaire assessed that the project is “sick” and would lead to the bankruptcy of the country. He also announced that he would try to lead to the electoral failures of politicians who supported him, even though they were in favor of reducing debt. Musk sworn that he would do it, even “if it was the last thing he would do.” He also declared establishing a new party, “America Party”.
The former adviser of Trump also criticized the Senate enrollment eliminating subsidies for solar panel manufacturers and windmills and imposing additional tax for devices with components from China. Musk and experts predicted that he would be a deadly blow to the US renewable energy industry. Ultimately, these provisions were relaxed at the last minute, eliminating tax provisions.
In response, President Trump suggested that he could cancel government contracts with Muska and ask the billionaire to Doge, the expenditure limiting team, which Musk created.
“I don't know, we'll have to check it. Maybe we'll have to send a dog to Elon. You know what a dog is? It's a monster that can come back and eat Elon. Wouldn't it be terrible? (Musk) gets a lot of subsidies” – said Trump on Tuesday. He also did not rule out that he could deport Musk, who has had US citizenship for over 20 years.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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