Congress hands Trump major victory as it passes his 'big, beautiful bill' after days of debate

by · LBC
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson gavels the passing of US President Donald Trump's tax bill on the floor of the House of Representatives at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 3, 2025.Picture: Getty

By Henry Moore

Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' has been passed by Congress.

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The megabill was passed by a vote of 218-214.

Only two Republicans voted against the bill, which will see at least 11 million Americans lose access to healthcare.

All Democrats voted against the bill.

The bill will now go to Trump's desk for signing into law, which is expected to happen on Friday.

Read more: Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' to give ICE a larger budget than most of the world's militaries

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) holds up the final vote tally while celebrating the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol.Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) celebrates with fellow House Republicans during an enrollment ceremony of H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.Picture: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The bill includes 4.5 trillion dollars (£3.2 trillion) in tax cuts, according to the latest analysis, making permanent Mr Trump's 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips.

The package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide.

It would impose 1.2 trillion dollars (£870 billion) in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump (C) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) watch on a television screen as U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) announces the passing of H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.Picture: Joyce Boghosian/The White House
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after speaking at a rally to kick off the July Fourth holiday weekend at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The president used the opportunity to tout his just passed "One Big Beautiful Bill Act".Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Additionally, the bill would provide a 350 billion dollar (£254 billion) infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants.

As part of the bill, ICE would receive the budget to hire an extra 10,000 agents by 2029.

In all, the version of the bill that passed the Senate earlier this week would see the agency receive around $100billion by 2029, $45billion for detention facilities, the same for border wall operations and a further $14billion to fund mass deportations.

This would put ICE’s budget above that of Israel, Italy, Brazil and the Netherlands.

The bill was passed after days of debate, which saw the Democratic leader of the House, Hakeem Jeffries, give an eight-hour speech in a bid to delay its approval.