US President Donald Trump achieved his first major legislative victory of his second term on Thursday after Congress passed a budget bill, the cornerstone of his economic program.
After the Senate passed it on Tuesday in a vote with Vice President J.D. Vance as the tie-breaking vote, the House of Representatives passed the 869-page bill, which Trump called a "big, beautiful bill," by a narrow margin after much pressure and debate.
The White House was quick to hail the passage in a post on Twitter, describing it as a "victory."
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that the bill "will be on the president's desk for his signature at a big, beautiful ceremony tomorrow at 5 p.m., July 4, just as the president has said and always hoped."
Initially scheduled for Wednesday, the final vote took place Thursday evening in Washington, following a nearly nine-hour speech by Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a record for a House member, in an attempt to delay passage as much as possible.
Opposition from conservative lawmakers who denounced the legislation, which would increase the national debt, forced Republican leaders to delay the vote.
With an eight-seat majority, the presidential party could not tolerate more than three Republicans opposing the bill.
Two Republican lawmakers opposed the bill in the final vote, after party leaders succeeded in overcoming the final obstacles in behind-the-scenes negotiations led by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, which took place overnight with the help of the White House.
Before that, Trump sharpened his tone, asking on Truth Social shortly after midnight, "What are the Republicans waiting for? What are you trying to prove?"
The 79-year-old president, known for his irascible temper, added, "MAGA is not happy, and this will cost you votes," referring to his base, which bears the name of his campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."
According to The Hill, Trump made phone calls overnight to persuade Republicans who voted against the bill to change their position.
This bill represents the cornerstone of his economic program, and for several weeks he has been urging Congress to pass it before Friday, the national holiday he set as the symbolic date for issuing the budget.
Among the bill's most prominent measures are extending the massive tax breaks enacted during Trump's first term (2017-2021), eliminating the tip tax, a key campaign promise, and providing billions of additional dollars for defense and immigration.
However, independent studies indicate that the bill will primarily benefit the wealthiest families, while millions of Americans with modest incomes could lose access to health insurance and food assistance programs.
Experts and politicians also warn of a massive increase in the federal deficit.
The Congressional Budget Office, which assesses the impact of bills on public finances, estimates that the bill would increase the national debt by more than $3.4 trillion by 2034, while extending the tax breaks would cost $4.5 trillion.
"I came to Washington to help curb our national debt," said Texas Republican Representative Keith Self, justifying his opposition to the bill during the night's procedural vote.
Self accused his Senate colleagues of "trampling" on the previously passed version of the bill, emphasizing that for him, it was ultimately a "moral issue."
Self and three of his colleagues reversed their position and voted for the bill just hours later.
To partially offset the growing deficit, Republicans plan to cut Medicaid, the public health insurance program that millions of low-income Americans rely on.
The SNAP food aid program is also set to be drastically cut, and several tax incentives for renewable energy approved under former President Joe Biden are to be eliminated.
The bill faced unified Democratic opposition in the House of Representatives.
Jeffries described the legislation as "disgustingly brutal" and said it would "cause suffering for ordinary Americans" while serving the interests of the wealthy.
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