House Expected to Vote on Trump’s Budget Bill Cutting Healthcare, Increasing Deficit

The U.S. Senate passed President Donald Trump's 2025 budget reconciliation bill, known as the "Big, Beautiful Bill," which includes significant tax cuts for the wealthy and sweeping reductions to social safety net programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP. The bill faces imminent consideration in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority, though some GOP members express concerns over the rapid pace and the bill's impact on Medicaid and fiscal priorities. Democrats strongly oppose the bill, highlighting that it would leave nearly 17 million Americans uninsured and put 42 million at risk of food insecurity, and accuse Republicans of prioritizing the wealthy and the president's agenda over working families. Republican House leaders are pushing for a quick vote to meet President Trump's demand for a July 4 deadline, despite internal divisions and last-minute changes made to secure Senate passage. South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill criticized Senators Thune and Rounds for supporting the bill, asserting it undermines rural communities, healthcare access, and jobs. The bill aims to extend and make permanent prior tax breaks from Trump's first term while adding new provisions like deductions for tips and overtime, but it has stirred controversy and uncertainty about its final passage in the House.