Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” briefly explained

A report was featured in The Logoff, a daily newsletter offering updates on the Trump administration without overwhelming you with political news. President Donald Trump’s major bill has made progress by passing the House in a narrow vote this morning.

The bill, as explained by Andrew Prokop, focuses on four main areas:

1. Extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts
2. Implementing new tax reductions, including the “no tax on tips” proposal
3. Allocating funds for a border wall, US Customs and Border Protection, and the military
4. Raising the debt ceiling, a necessary step to be completed by July

Furthermore, the bill would eliminate the cap on the state and local tax deduction (SALT) and make substantial cuts to Medicaid, clean energy programs, student loans, and food assistance.

House Republicans managed to pass the bill with a slim margin of 215 votes to 214, meeting their self-imposed Memorial Day deadline.

The bill will now move to the Senate, where a difficult process is expected. Republican senators must address various conflicting changes before the July 4 deadline, navigating a narrow majority of 53 members.

The bill’s future remains uncertain, as despite passing the House, it faces opposition from some Republican senators. Additionally, it will need to pass the House once more after Senate revisions, which could be challenging given the presence of staunch Republican opponents in the lower chamber.

In other news, the penny is on its way out as of this morning. Caity Weaver’s fascinating history of the penny, including past attempts to eliminate it and its nonsensical abundance, is a must-read. Fun fact: The US has produced around 240 billion pennies, enough to give two to every person who has ever lived.