WASHINGTON — President Trump announced on Thursday that he still aims to finalize his “big beautiful bill,” filled with campaign pledges, by the Independence Day holiday next week.
“We hope so,” Trump remarked to journalists as he departed a White House East Room gathering that highlighted backing from blue-collar workers, such as a DoorDash driver and an electrical lineman, who stand to benefit from measures that cut taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits.
The president’s comment came following an extensive hour-long push to Republicans, urging them to pass the bill despite resistance from “grandstanders” within his own party.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act can pass without any Democratic support under special budget reconciliation rules that allow for a simple majority in each chamber, rather than the usual 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
But when exactly it comes up for a vote in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats, is unclear — due to possible defections from libertarian Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), fiscal hawk Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and centrists Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
Earlier Thursday, Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough trimmed some items from the package for not conforming to special budgetary legislation rules, such as provisions to deny Medicare and Medicaid to non-citizens and illegal immigrants and to bar funding of transgender medical services through Medicaid, which insures low-income people.
But core provisions remain intact, including an extension of Trump’s expiring 2017 tax cuts — which lowered individual rates temporarily — and additional reforms to enact his campaign pledges.
The bill currently keeps a House-passed plan to raise the amount of state and local taxes that can be deducted from federal taxes to $40,000 — an item particularly important to Republicans from high-tax jurisdictions like California, New Jersey and New York.
The House voted 215-214 to pass the legislation on May 22, with Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio joining all Democrats to vote “no” and Long Island GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino snoozing through the narrow vote.
It would have to pass the House one more time if the Senate approves the package with changes.
The bill includes $25 billion in proposed spending on Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense program and additional funds for border enforcement, along with a path toward phasing out green-energy tax perks.
Everyday supporters of the package didn’t speak at Trump’s event but issued statements touting the reforms.
“As a mom and a small business owner, every dollar counts,” DoorDash driver Maliki Krieski said. “I deliver with DoorDash to help support my son who has type 1 diabetes, and the tips I earn make a real difference.
“Thanks to No Tax on Tips, I’ll be able to keep more of what I earn. This is the kind of policy that makes an impact for people like me across the country.”
