House Republicans are making their way toward passing their ‘big, beautiful bill,’ a major initiative that outlines President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. The legislation has undergone a series of last-minute changes aimed at appeasing holdouts within the party, particularly from fiscal hawks and swing-seat moderates. The revised version has been put on the floor for a vote, with a final decision expected soon following several procedural votes that stalled the process for over 21 hours. The passage of this bill is seen as a significant challenge for Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team as they seek to solidify support under the tight majority.
One of the most notable changes is the revision of the Medicaid provisions to delay the implementation of work requirements until the end of 2026 rather than the start of 2029, as originally proposed. Additionally, the bill introduces financial incentives for states to avoid expanding Medicaid coverage to those with higher incomes than traditional enrollees. It also bars coverage for gender-affirming care for adults under the program, moving away from the initial proposal that limited this to minors. These changes have been made to satisfy both fiscal conservatives and moderate Republicans who had previously raised concerns about the original version.
Another key adjustment is the expansion of the state-and-local tax (SALT) deduction cap to $40,000 from the original $10,000, with a phased-out threshold for high-income earners. This provision has been welcomed by blue-state Republicans who had lobbied for a more generous SALT limit. The bill also includes revised tax credits for clean energy, although these have been weakened to the extent that some developers argue they may be largely unusable. The new provisions require projects to commence construction within 60 days of the bill’s passage and be completed by the end of 2028. Despite these changes, the bill has also softened rollbacks of credits for advanced nuclear reactors, which was a point of contention among some Republicans.
The bill’s passage has been met with mixed reactions from within the party. While Rep. Ralph Norman, who had initially resisted, has now stated that voting for the party-line bill to enact Trump’s domestic agenda is the right thing to do, other representatives like Rep. Andy Harris and Chip Roy have remained cautious, signaling that further negotiations may still be needed. The delay in the bill’s passage, which took over 21 hours of debate and voting, has drawn criticism from some quarters of the GOP, with Rep. Thomas Massie among the most vocal. Massie took to the floor in the early hours of Thursday to express his opposition to the late-night negotiations, saying, ‘If something’s beautiful, you don’t do it after midnight.’
Despite the challenges, Speaker Johnson appears to be on track to meet his self-imposed deadline for the bill’s passage, which falls on Memorial Day. The revised bill has been designed to address a range of concerns, from fiscal conservatives to moderate Republicans, and has now gained the necessary support to move forward. However, the final vote is still pending, and the outcome of that vote could determine the future of Trump’s domestic agenda. The bill also includes provisions that are being closely monitored for their potential impact on various aspects of the economy, including healthcare, taxation, and energy policy.
In addition to the main provisions of the bill, there are also other developments worth noting within the broader legislative landscape. The Senate is set to vote on repealing California’s EPA waivers, a move that has been supported by Senator John Thune. The Republican leadership is also looking into more information regarding a recent controversy involving a $400 million luxury jet gifted to Trump by Qatar, which has led to calls for further scrutiny. Meanwhile, there are ongoing concerns within the GOP about the Trump administration’s increasing influence over key legislative agencies, with calls for Congress to step in and assert its control over appointments in these bodies.