NewsHail
23 May 2025
House Republicans passed a major tax bill by just one vote. The final tally was 215 to 214. Two Republicans voted “no,” and one didn’t vote. This win is a key step for President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson after weeks of tough talks.
The bill now goes to the Senate. There, lawmakers can approve it or make changes.
Supporters of the bill say it helps the country. Johnson said it “gets Americans back to winning again.”
The bill extends tax cuts from Trump’s first term in 2017. It also boosts money for defense and Trump’s mass deportation plans.
It removes taxes on overtime and tips, which were part of Trump’s 2024 campaign promises.
Johnson called the bill “historic.” He said it will help many hard-working Americans.
But the bill also cuts spending. It takes money from Medicaid, a health plan for low-income people. It also cuts SNAP, a food aid program used by over 42 million Americans.
These cuts caused a fight within the Republican party. Trump went to Capitol Hill to push for the bill. He warned lawmakers to stop fighting or face the results.
Democrats strongly opposed the bill. They said it would hurt millions of Americans, especially the poor, elderly, and disabled.
“Children, women, and older people will suffer,” said Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Hospitals will close. Nursing homes will shut down. And people will die.”
The White House said that failing to pass the bill would be the “ultimate betrayal.”
The bill is very costly. It adds $5.2 trillion to U.S. debt. Next year’s deficit would rise by $600 billion. These big numbers led Moody’s, a credit rating agency, to downgrade the U.S. credit score last week.
The bill is over 1,000 pages long. Lawmakers had just a few hours to read it. There may be more surprises hidden inside.
Now, the Senate must act. If they make changes, the bill will go back to the House for another vote.
Trump asked the Senate to send him the bill “as soon as possible.”
There’s one big issue: the debt increase may trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. That’s health care for seniors. Trump had promised not to cut it. Republicans may try to change the rules to stop those cuts.
Democrats say they will use this vote against Republicans in the next election. They point to the cuts to health care, research, and the environment. They also say the bill helps the rich more than others.
Republicans won, but just barely. If public support changes even a little, Democrats could take back the House in the midterms. That would stop Trump’s plans in Congress.
