Senate Republicans Pass Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful’ Tax Bill: Medicaid, SNAP Cuts, and Impact on Clean Energy, Rural Hospitals

Key Points

Research suggests Trump’s tax bill, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” passed the Senate on July 1, 2025, marking a major win for Republicans.
It seems likely that the bill extends 2017 tax cuts and includes spending cuts, with controversy over deficit increases and program reductions.
The evidence leans toward the bill passing 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie, amid opposition from some Republicans and Democrats.

Passage and Vote
On July 1, 2025, at 11:56 AM PDT, the US Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” with a 50-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. This narrow margin highlights the contentious nature of the legislation, which required a marathon voting session lasting over 24 hours. Three Republicans—Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, and Rand Paul—voted against it, while Lisa Murkowski was convinced to support it after negotiations.

Bill Details
The bill, spanning 940 pages, extends and makes permanent many tax cuts from Trump’s 2017 term, including temporary measures like no taxes on tips and overtime pay. It also includes significant spending cuts, notably to Medicaid and SNAP, with estimates suggesting 11 million could lose Medicaid coverage. Other provisions include increased border security funding, changes to federal student loans, and the elimination of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit.

Implications and Controversy
The bill is projected to add over $3 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years, drawing criticism from figures like Elon Musk, who opposes its impact on renewable energy and electric vehicles. Musk has threatened to back challengers to supporting Republicans and even form a new political party. Democrats and some fiscal conservatives have raised concerns about the deficit and steeper cuts to welfare programs.

Detailed Analysis of Trump’s Tax Bill Passage in the US Senate on July 1, 2025

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the passage of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” in the US Senate on July 1, 2025, at 11:56 AM PDT. The bill’s passage marks a significant legislative victory for Republicans, extending key tax policies while implementing substantial spending cuts, amidst controversy over fiscal impacts and program reductions.

Background and Context

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is a comprehensive legislative package that builds on the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, aiming to make permanent many of its provisions while introducing new tax and spending measures. The bill, spanning 940 pages, was debated extensively, with a marathon voting session lasting over 24 hours, reflecting the high stakes and political divisions. The passage on July 1, 2025, follows a 90-day period of negotiation, with the Senate using the reconciliation process to bypass the filibuster, requiring only a simple majority for passage.

Passage and Vote Details

The bill passed with a narrow margin of 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, effectively making it 51-50 for passage. This close vote underscores the contentious nature of the legislation, with three Republican senators—Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Rand Paul of Kentucky—voting against it. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, initially a potential opponent, was convinced to back the bill after negotiations, highlighting the internal GOP dynamics at play.

The voting process was marked by procedural hurdles, including Democrats reading all 940 pages aloud and a “vote-a-rama” session, which delayed proceedings but ultimately did not prevent passage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune described the outcome as Republicans “getting the job done,” emphasizing the party’s unity despite dissent.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The bill includes a range of policy changes, detailed as follows:

Tax Cuts: The legislation extends and makes permanent the 2017 tax cuts, preventing rate hikes that would have occurred otherwise. It includes temporary measures such as no taxes on overtime pay and tipped income, aimed at benefiting service industry workers. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates these tax cuts will add over $3 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years (CBO Estimate).
Spending Cuts: Significant reductions are proposed for federal programs, particularly Medicaid and SNAP. Medicaid changes include expanding work requirements to parents of older children and reining in provider taxes, with an estimated 11 million people potentially losing coverage. SNAP cuts affect over 40 million low-income Americans, raising concerns about welfare impacts. To mitigate some effects, the bill includes a $50 billion fund for rural hospitals from 2026 to 2030, though critics argue this may not fully offset the risks to rural healthcare (Impact on Rural Hospitals).
Other Policy Changes: The bill allocates billions for border security, overhauls the federal student loan program, and ends the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, which could impact companies like Tesla (EV Tax Credit Details). It also rolls back approximately $522 billion in clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, adding taxes for new wind and solar projects tied to China, reflecting a shift away from renewable energy support (Clean Energy Credits Impact).
SALT Deduction: The bill increases the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions from $10,000 to $40,000 for married couples with incomes up to $500,000, expiring after 2028, aimed at benefiting higher-income taxpayers in high-tax states.
Debt Ceiling: The Senate version opts for a $5 trillion hike in the debt ceiling, compared to the House’s $4 trillion approval, reflecting differing approaches to fiscal management.

Legislative Process and Next Steps

The bill was passed using the reconciliation process, allowing it to sidestep the filibuster and pass with a simple majority. However, it must now return to the House for approval of the Senate’s changes before it can be signed into law by President Trump. Trump has expressed a desire to finalize the legislation by July 4, 2025, stating, “I’d love to do July 4th but I think it’s very hard to do July 4th…. I would say maybe July 4th or somewhere around there” ([Trump’s Deadline Comment]([invalid url, do not cite])). House Speaker Mike Johnson aims for passage by this date, though some GOP lawmakers signal major objections, particularly over Medicaid cuts and fiscal responsibility (House Reaction).

Economic and Political Implications

The bill’s passage is seen as a major win for Trump and the Republican Party, advancing their agenda on tax policy and spending priorities. However, it has sparked significant controversy. The projected deficit increase of $650 billion annually, as per the House Freedom Caucus, has drawn criticism from fiscal conservatives and Democrats, who argue it exacerbates national debt levels. Democrats have delayed proceedings with procedural hurdles, reflecting their opposition to the welfare cuts.

Elon Musk, a prominent critic, has threatened to back primary challengers to Republicans who voted for the bill and even hinted at forming a new political party if it passes Congress. His opposition stems from the bill’s severe reductions to government support for renewable energy and electric vehicles, potentially hurting Tesla and other companies in his portfolio ([Musk’s Opposition]([invalid url, do not cite])).

Summary Table of Key Impacts

Area	Positive Impacts	Negative Impacts
Taxes	Permanent extensions of 2017 cuts, benefits for tips/overtime	Adds >$3 trillion to deficit over 10 years
Medicaid	$50 billion fund for rural hospitals (2026-2030)	11 million could lose coverage, expanded work requirements
SNAP	None noted	Cuts affect >40 million low-income Americans
Clean Energy	None noted	Rolls back $522 billion in investments, ends EV credit

This table summarizes the dual nature of the bill’s impacts, highlighting both opportunities and challenges.

Conclusion

The passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” on July 1, 2025, represents a significant legislative victory for Republicans, extending key tax policies while implementing substantial spending cuts. However, the bill’s fiscal impact, with a projected deficit increase of over $3 trillion, and its effects on programs like Medicaid and SNAP, have sparked controversy. As it heads to the House for final approval, the ongoing debates over deficit, welfare, and energy policy underscore the complex political and economic landscape surrounding this legislation.