WORLD
Republicans pass major bill, deliver win for Trump
U.S. Republicans have passed a major legislative package, dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," giving President Donald Trump the biggest legislative victory of his second term.
After weeks of closed-door negotiations over the sprawling text — and several day-and-night debates — the House of Representatives narrowly approved a final version of the bill Thursday, following a razor-thin vote in the Senate.
Trump is set to sign the bill into law on Friday, July 4, Independence Day.
The 869-page package includes wide-ranging reforms touching on tax policy, immigration, energy, social welfare, and national defense. Below are some key provisions:
Taxes
Income tax cuts passed under Trump's first term become permanent.
Creates new tax deductions for tips and overtime pay — a major Trump campaign pledge — but only through 2028.
Allows businesses to immediately deduct research and development expenses.
Temporarily quadruples a tax deduction for state and local taxes (SALT).
Immigration crackdown
Allocates $46.5 billion for border infrastructure, including wall construction.
Provides $45 billion to create additional migrant detention facilities with 100,000 beds.
Funds the hiring of 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Creates new fines for asylum seekers and migrants caught attempting illegal entry.
Clean energy cuts
Rolls back clean energy tax credits from former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.
Phases out federal subsidies for new wind and solar energy projects unless they enter service before 2028 or begin construction within one year of the bill’s enactment.
Ends the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases after Sept. 30, 2025 — drawing particular ire from Trump’s former top ally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Establishes a new tax credit for producing metallurgical coal, largely used in steel production.
Debt limit
Increases the nation’s borrowing limit by $5 trillion — a bitter pill for some Republican fiscal hawks.
Safety net programs
Implements new restrictions on welfare programs for the poor and disabled, particularly Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Requires able-bodied individuals under age 65 without young children to work at least 80 hours per month to qualify for Medicaid or SNAP.
Creates a $50 billion, five-year fund to support rural hospitals, partially offsetting broader cuts.
Women’s health
Blocks federal funding to Planned Parenthood for one year, a frequent target of GOP lawmakers over its abortion services.
Other provisions
Establishes savings accounts for newborns with $1,000 deposits, called “Trump Accounts.”
Allocates $25 billion for Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative.
Boosts space programs, including $10 billion for a Mars mission and $325 million to decommission the International Space Station.
Imposes a new tax on the endowments of wealthy universities.
Trump and congressional Republicans have hailed the legislation as a “historic win” for conservative governance, though the bill is expected to face legal and political challenges in the coming months.