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Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' passes

Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' passes

Telegrapha day ago
Republicans in Congress finally passed Donald Trump's 'one, big, beautiful' bill on Thursday, ending days of wrangling and doubt about the president's domestic policy platform.
Two Republicans voted against Mr Trump's signature bill, giving it a 218 to 214 majority. Chants of 'USA, USA, USA,' erupted in the chamber after the result was announced.
'One of the most consequential Bills ever. The USA is the 'HOTTEST' Country in the World, by far!!!' Trump said on social media as his team closed in on victory.
Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump's press secretary, posted on X: 'VICTORY!'
The result underscores the president's hold on his party, overcoming opposition on the moderate and hardline wings of the party.
The president's package of tax cuts and spending promises had to overcome one final hurdle: a record-breaking speech by the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives who addressed the chamber for more than eight hours and 45 minutes.
The bill renews Mr Trump's 2017 tax cuts, trims healthcare and food safety net programmes, funds the president's immigration crackdown, and eliminates many green-energy incentives.
As he prepared for the vote, Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, said: 'With one big, beautiful bill, we are going to make this country stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before, and every American is going to benefit from that.'
Lawmakers stayed up all night waiting for their chance to vote on the bill after Mr Trump muscled moderate and hardline holdouts in his own party into line.
He urged them to stick together in the face of Democratic opposition to deliver a win.
And he set a July 4 deadline for the legislature to come to his desk for a signature.
The Independence Day target underscored the importance of the bill, setting out many of Mr Trump's campaign promises, from slashing green energy subsidies to lifting taxes on tips.
But fiscal hawks in his party objected to the way it would increase the national debt by more than three trillion dollars over the next decade, according to non-partisan forecasts.
Moderates worry that $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act will mean millions of people will lose access to health care, imperilling Republicans in marginal districts during next year's midterm elections.
A final twist came on Thursday, when Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House minority leader, broke the record for the longest uninterrupted speech. He borrowed heavily from scripture to make his point.
'As I take my seat I just want to express to the American people, we're going to press on,' he said, echoing an earlier Martin Luther King Jr quote.
'Press on for the sick... press on for the weak... press on for the rule of law... press on for democracy... until victory is won.'
One of the conservative holdouts, Rep Tim Burchett, said afterwards: 'I wasn't really sure how to vote but after watching Hakeem for 30 seconds I'm firmly a yes.'
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