COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The political maneuvering in Washington D.C. surrounding President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” involved notable intrigue, notably including a dissenting vote from a Republican Representative from South Carolina.
President Trump said his “Big, Beautiful Bill” includes G.O.P. priorities, such as tax cuts and extra border security.
“We’re not doing any cutting of anything meaningful. The only thing we’re cutting is waste, fraud, and abuse with Medicaid,” said Trump.
As expected, democratic Representative Jim Clyburn voted against the bill.
Representative Ralph Norman, alongside a number of other Republican opponents, originally opposed the bill, arguing that it didn’t adequately reduce Medicaid benefits for undocumented immigrants.
“You know, to be honest with you, I never thought I would have to fight for getting illegals off the government payroll,” Norman said.
After conversations with Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump, Norman said they worked out a deal.
“It was a great bill, but we just didn’t cut like I thought we should have, and I held out for the last minute,” Norman remarked. “When we got pretty much what I thought we needed, we voted for it.”
Senator Lindsey Graham said people should be responsible with their own vote, but Republicans shouldn’t vote “no.”
“We need to get behind President Trump,” Graham said. “This is our best chance in 40 years to control spending in Washington, and we need to be working with Trump, not against him.”
Graham added that he expects the bill to change in the Senate.
“I intend to change the bill, but I’ll do it working with President Trump,” Graham said. “He has enough enemies in the in the nation and throughout the world. The Republican Party needs to help this man because he’s doing things that other presidents couldn’t do. “
Governor Henry McMaster also supports the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The Bill was passed in the House, and is now in the hands of the Senate.
