Kenya, June 29 -- The U.S. Senate has made an important move to pass President Donald Trump's big plan called the "One Big Beautiful Bill." This plan is a large package that includes almost $4 trillion in tax cuts, more money for border security, and cuts to Medicaid, which helps many people with health care.
The bill passed an important step with a vote of 51-49 late Saturday night. Vice President JD Vance was ready to vote in case of a tie, but it wasn't needed because Senate Majority Leader John Thune worked out some last-minute agreements.
While this vote shows some progress, there are still challenges ahead, and a final vote could happen as early as Monday.
The bill is very long, at 940 pages. It builds on a previous tax law from 2017, removes taxes on tips and overtime work, and allocates $46.5 billion for border security, including finishing Trump's border wall.
Additionally, the bill suggests raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion to prevent the government from running out of money by August. However, the large cuts to Medicaid are very controversial.
About 7.8 million people could lose their health coverage, which has led to strong opposition. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, are making sure everyone knows what is in the bill by forcing a full reading of it, which could take up to 15 hours.
Schumer says, "Republicans won't tell America what's in this bill," and he wants to show how it will affect health care and social programs.
Critics, including some Democrats and some Republicans like Sens. Thom Tillis and Rand Paul, believe the bill helps wealthy people while taking away support from programs that help those in need, like Medicaid and SNAP (food assistance).
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this bill could add $3.8 trillion to the national debt in ten years, hurting lower-income households while richer people benefit.
On the other hand, supporters, including Trump and Senate Republican leaders, believe the bill will help the economy grow by lowering taxes and rules, creating a better environment for businesses.
To respond to worries about Medicaid cuts, the bill has a $25 billion fund for rural hospitals, but critics like Sen. Susan Collins say this isn't enough compared to the $100 billion that is really needed.
As the Senate prepares to discuss amendments, there are still disagreements among Republicans about Medicaid, the debt ceiling, and energy issues.
If the bill is passed, it will go back to the House of Representatives, where there is a very slim majority for Republicans and they have their own challenges.
With Trump wanting the bill done by July 4, the discussions highlight the big differences between political parties about America's spending and social priorities.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.