Senate debates Trump’s big beautiful bill update as GOP tries to win over

When President Trump refers to a “big beautiful bill,” he typically means a comprehensive piece of legislation that incorporates multiple key priorities of his administration and the Republican Party. Currently, in late June 2025, the phrase is overwhelmingly being used to refer to a massive tax and spending cuts package that Republicans in Congress are attempting to pass.

Here’s an update on this “big beautiful bill”:

What it is:

• It’s a sprawling, 940-page piece of legislation that combines several Republican priorities.
• The primary goal is to make permanent many of the tax breaks from the 2017 Trump tax cuts that are otherwise set to expire by the end of 2025. This involves roughly $3.8 trillion in tax cuts.
• It temporarily introduces new tax breaks that Trump campaigned on, such as no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime pay, and no taxes on some automotive loans (for U.S.-assembled vehicles). It also includes a larger standard deduction for seniors and boosts the child tax credit.

• It includes significant spending cuts, particularly to Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP), and clean energy programs.
• It allocates substantial funding for Trump’s border and national security agenda, including $46 billion for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, $45 billion for 100,000 migrant detention facility beds, and funding to hire 10,000 new ICE officers.
• It contains provisions to loosen regulations on gun silencers and certain types of rifles and shotguns.
• It also includes an increase to the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap, raising it from $10,000 to $40,000 for five years.

Current Status (as of June 30, 2025):

• The Republican-controlled Senate has voted to advance the bill, clearing a key procedural hurdle over the weekend. This makes its passage more likely in the coming days.
• The bill is currently undergoing debate and amendment votes in the Senate, which is expected to be an all-night process leading up to a potential final vote before the July 4th deadline.
• There have been last-minute revisions to the bill. For example, a controversial “revenge tax” provision targeting foreign-owned companies was removed at the request of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Also, provisions related to Medicaid provider taxes faced parliamentary hurdles but were revised, including a new $25 billion fund to aid rural hospitals impacted by Medicaid restrictions.

• Opposition: Democrats are unified against the bill, arguing it will lead to massive tax increases for the poor and middle class while benefiting the wealthy, cut essential services, and add trillions to the national debt.
• Internal GOP Divisions: While the bill has advanced, there are still some Republicans with concerns, particularly over the depth of the Medicaid and SNAP cuts and the overall deficit implications. Figures like Elon Musk have also publicly criticized the package as “utterly insane and destructive.”

The White House and Republican leadership are pushing hard to get this “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed, aiming to meet President Trump‘s self-imposed Fourth of July deadline.