WASHINGTON, D.C. — One year after Republicans pushed President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” through Congress, GOP leaders are celebrating what they now call the “Working Families Tax Cuts Act.”
The sweeping law made key provisions in Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, created new tax deductions for tips, overtime and seniors, while also overhauling programs including Medicaid and SNAP.
Republicans are touting those tax benefits this week, but Democrats say the relief came at too high a cost.
Signed into law on July 4 last year, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act became the legislative centerpiece of President Trump’s second term. Supporters say Americans saw the benefits during this year’s tax filing season through larger refunds, lower tax bills and expanded deductions- with new breaks for workers, families and small businesses — like an expanded child tax credit and new deductions for tipped wages, overtime pay and for seniors.
“Republicans’ landmark bill has strengthened our economy and put more money in Americans’ pockets,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
Thune added that 97% of taxpayers saw tax relief this year, collectively saving them $82 billion on their federal taxes.
“Hardworking people all across the country have additional money to put toward their expenses or their savings, thanks to Republican tax relief,” said Thune.
Republicans say the law also prevented expiring tax cuts from lapsing, protecting millions of Americans from tax hikes. The law permanently extended key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which Thune said will benefit taxpayers for years to come.
“We made lower tax rates permanent,” said Thune. “Raised the standard deduction and made that permanent as well.”
“Here are the results: The biggest tax cuts in U.S. history; a strong and secure border; safer cities; historic investment in America’s military; rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on social media. “Every Democrat voted against tax relief and a secure border and are now electing Communists in order to undo all of it.”
“You know your bill is bad and unpopular when on the year anniversary, when you’re supposed to be celebrating it, you’re changing the name of it,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. “It’s a bill that was beautiful for billionaires and mega-corporations.”
Democrats argue that the law’s health care and safety-net cuts outweigh its tax benefits and say Republicans are trying to rebrand the law because its unpopular.
“Donald Trump and Republicans chose to give billionaires tax cuts and launch reckless wars overseas instead of lowering health care costs for New York families. The consequences have been dire — nearly half a million New Yorkers now must worry about how they can afford to take their child to the doctor or get their medication,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
To afford the tax benefits and other provisions in the law, Congress implemented stricter eligibility requirements for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“One year after the GOP passed the One Big Ugly Bill, the results are in: 800,000 kids lost SNAP benefits; 5M lost health coverage; 1,000+ hospitals, clinics, nursing homes face cuts/closure; health care premiums doubled for millions. That’s what they’re celebrating,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on social media.
“The big, ugly bill is the largest health care cut in American history,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill.
“Trump’s budget strips health care and food from working people to hand trillions to billionaires, and every Michigan Republican in Congress voted for it. As costs are skyrocketing for working families, Republicans are making the rich richer and leaving everyone else behind,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel.
