An all-night session and weeks of bitter infighting left Speaker Mike Johnson grinning in the Capitol halls while President Donald Trump celebrated a razor-thin legislative victory.
In a dramatic early morning vote, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly approved the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping legislative package advancing President Donald Trump’s tax and immigration agenda. According to ABC News, the measure passed 215-214, with just one Republican voting present and all Democrats in opposition.
The bill’s passage came after intense internal GOP negotiations, last-minute changes, and a marathon debate that stretched through the night. Speaker Johnson, flanked by Republican allies, declared the moment “morning in America again,” while President Trump took to social media to call it “the most significant piece of Legislation that will ever be signed in the History of our Country!”
Deep rifts among House Republicans threatened the bill’s survival up until the final moments. Speaker Johnson, holding a fragile three-vote majority, was forced to appease both hardline conservatives and moderate members from high-tax states. The narrow margin reflected weeks of wrangling and highlighted the party’s ongoing struggle to unify behind Trump’s priorities.
Negotiations centered on Medicaid work requirements and the cap on state and local tax deductions, issues that nearly derailed the bill. Some Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio voted against the measure, while Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, voted present. The final tallies triggered an outburst of celebration among supporters, with Queen’s “We Are The Champions” briefly playing on the House floor.
President Trump and his aides worked behind the scenes to secure support, with the White House describing a critical meeting between Trump and House conservatives as “productive.” The president pressed the urgency of passing the bill before Memorial Day, framing it as essential for the nation’s economic and security interests.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” delivers on several of Trump’s campaign promises. It features major tax cuts, including the elimination of federal taxes on tips and overtime, expanded tax deductions for Americans who purchase vehicles made in the United States, and the creation of new “Trump Savings Accounts”—a rebranding of the originally proposed “MAGA Accounts.” The bill also raises the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 for households earning under $500,000, a key concession to members from states like New York and California.
Healthcare reforms are central to the package. The legislation accelerates the start of new Medicaid work requirements to no later than December 31, 2026, three years earlier than initially proposed. This change, demanded by budget hawks, is expected to reduce federal spending on Medicaid while a new incentive discourages states from expanding Medicaid coverage.
On immigration, the bill appropriates $12 billion for border security reimbursements to states for costs linked to Biden-era policies, with grants available through September 2029. The Department of Homeland Security gains new authority to assist with enforcement, reflecting a key priority for House Republicans.
House Democrats, unified in their opposition, denounced the bill as extreme and harmful to working-class Americans. They argued that the Medicaid changes would strip coverage from vulnerable groups and that the tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Democratic leadership accused Republicans of prioritizing campaign promises over bipartisan solutions.
Some moderate Republicans also voiced concern, especially over the Medicaid provisions and the expedited phase-out of clean energy tax credits originally expanded under President Biden. The bill requires new clean energy projects to break ground within 60 days or be operational by the end of 2028 to access remaining credits, a move designed to offset the cost of other tax breaks.
Despite the House victory, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where the Republican majority is expected to propose revisions in the coming weeks. Senate Republicans have signaled that Medicaid work requirements and state tax deduction changes may be points of contention. President Trump and Speaker Johnson have called for swift action, but the path forward remains fraught with political risk.
Speaker Johnson relished the moment after the vote, addressing the media alongside top House Republicans and committee chairs. He insisted that the bill’s passage proved doubters wrong and signaled a return to conservative priorities in Washington. “The bill gets Americans back to winning again, and it's been a long time coming,” Johnson said. “It quite literally is again morning in America, isn't it, all right?”
President Trump’s public praise for Johnson and House Republicans underscored the high stakes of the legislative battle. Trump wrote in a social media post: “Great job by Speaker Mike Johnson, and the House Leadership, and thank you to every Republican who voted YES on this Historic Bill!”
The House vote marks only the first stage of the legislative process. As the reconciliation bill moves to the Senate, both parties prepare for another round of debate and amendment. Republicans hope for a quick Senate turnaround, but Democrats have vowed to fight provisions they view as punitive or regressive.
