Summary

  • The US Congress has passed Donald Trump's huge budget bill

  • The sprawling bill is critical to President Trump's agenda and has sparked intense debate. Here's a look at what's in it

  • The package was debated in Congress for days, as members of both the House and Senate worked overnights in the Capitol

  • Earlier, the final vote was delayed when Democratic Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries broke a record by speaking for more than eight hours on the floor

  • Trump will sign the bill into law at a ceremony on 4 July

Media caption,

Watch: Moment Trump's megabill passes final vote in the US House

  1. A week of congressional fits and starts before the big beautiful bill finally made it over the linepublished at 23:00 British Summer Time 3 July

    Brandon Drenon
    Reporting from Capitol Hill

    It's been a rollercoaster ride of a week here on Capitol Hill.

    But it ended at least a day sooner than many had expected, a reflection of the unpredictable twists and turns of passing this Republican spending bill.

    President Donald Trump skipped a trip to his golf course last weekend, staying in Washington to lobby members of Congress to support his "big, beautiful bill" and get it passed by his preferred deadline - the Fourth of July Independence Day holiday.

    On Monday, the task seemed nearly impossible: The sprawling 904-page bill - initially approved by the House in May - was packed with a number of issues that sowed divisions among Trump’s Republican Party, including cuts to social programmes and an increased national deficit.

    But on Tuesday the bill cleared the Senate, though only after Vice-President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote and not before the addition of several amendments.

    Given those amendments, the text had to be sent back to the House - and the bill again seemed in dire straits as Republicans in that chamber called the Senate's changes everything from a "non-starter" to a "travesty".

    Given their narrow majority against Democrats, House Republicans could only afford three "no" votes, and by midday Wednesday - despite cajoling from President Trump - one houldout Ralph Norman said he and roughly two dozen others were still against the bill.

    Republicans were effectively held hostage at the Capitol overnight into Thursday morning until House Speaker Mike Johnson rallied enough votes for a last procedural hurdle so the bill could finally be brought for a full vote.

    Then, nearly 24 hours later after they were gavelled into session, Republicans' progress was stalled further by Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries when he gave a historic eight-hour-plus floor speech to delay the inevitable.

    Less than an hour after Jeffries' speech concluded Thursday afternoon, Republicans knew they had the support they needed, and Johnson called the final vote.

    It passed 218-214 - with former holdout Norman casting the final "yea".

    We are ending our live coverage of the passage of the big beautiful bill, but you can read my colleague Anthony Zurcher's analysis on the whole episode here: Trump gets major win - but debate over his mega-bill is just beginning

  2. Watch: What will Trump’s tax and spending bill do to the US national debt?published at 22:57 British Summer Time 3 July

    Our colleagues at BBC Verify analyse what the 'big, beautiful bill' will do to the US' economy, and who will benefit from it.

    Click play to watch the video above.

  3. One big beautiful breakup: The bill that ended the world's most powerful friendshippublished at 22:56 British Summer Time 3 July

    Donald Trump sits at a desk while Elon Musk stands next to himImage source, Getty Images

    The passage of the big beautiful spending bill could have consequences beyond the Americans' taxes and healthcare.

    The allyship between President Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk at one point seemed unbreakable.

    After all, Musk helped to bankroll the president’s re-election campaign, putting more than $250 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates last November.

    But as the so- called one big beautiful bill made its way through Congress, the world’s richest man emerged as one of its most vocal critics, describing it in June as the “big ugly bill.”

    It was the beginning of the end of the pair's friendship.

    Musk says his primary concern is the bill's anticipated impact on the national debt. The bill will add $3.3tn (ÂŁ2.4tn) to US debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan federal agency.

    The tension seemed to simmer down in recent weeks but Musk renewed his criticism of the bill as the Senate revised and passed it earlier this week.

    He has threatened to pivot his campaign contributions from Republican candidates who supported the bill in future elections and to start a political party of his own.

    For his part, Trump has suggested using Doge, the cost-cutting agency Musk helped set up, to go after Musk's companies and federal subsidies they enjoy.

    He also told reported he could look into deporting Musk, who is a naturalised US citizen but was born and raised in South Africa.

  4. "They're lying" - Republican denies claims about tax cuts for the richpublished at 22:48 British Summer Time 3 July

    The World Tonight

    Wisconsin lawmaker Glenn Grothman, a Republican, tells BBC's The World Tonight that people are "lying" if they suggest tax cuts in the bill are largely for the rich.

    Grothman says that it was very important to keep the 2017 tax cuts - and the bill would now also provide "a decent tax cut for middle class Americans".

    The congressman was asked about people who suggested that the main beneficiaries of the tax cuts would be very rich Americans. He said: "they’re lying, they’re lying".

    On Medicaid, the congressman said voters would understand if there were cuts to Medicaid for people who did not want to go to work – "if we’re talking about people who just refuse to work, I think that’s fair".

    When asked if cuts to Medicaid would impact some of the people who voted for him he said: "No, no, no – that’s a lie on behalf of the Democrats, we're going to be taking care of anyone that’s disabled... we are continuing Medicaid for disabled peoples, so it’s no concern".

    Medicaid is the government-run scheme which provides healthcare insurance for about 71 million low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities.

    According to BBC Verify, various studies show there will be significant reductions to Medicaid under the bill.

    And the Congressional Budget Office estimates that that nearly 12 million people would lose health insurance by 2034 under the terms of the bill.

    Check out BBC Verify's fact-check about what the spending bill really entails: Fact-checking three key claims about Trump's mega-bill

  5. 'Bill will undermine health of North Carolinians', state health official sayspublished at 22:43 British Summer Time 3 July

    The bill will see a "significant reduction" in federal funding for services that are "core to the well-being of individuals and families of North Carolina", the head of the state's Department of Health and Human Services says.

    "While the full impact will become clearer in the coming weeks, we already know that it will result in billions of dollars being taken out of our state’s economy and will undermine the health of North Carolinians," says Dev Sangvai, who was appointed by a Democratic governor.

  6. 'Republicans have voted to devastate millions of people' - Harrispublished at 22:40 British Summer Time 3 July

    A file photo of Kamala HarrisImage source, Reuters

    Trump's Democratic rival in last year's presidential election, Kamala Harris, has posted on social media saying, "Republicans in Congress have voted to devastate millions of people across our nation".

    Following the passing of the bill, she says the Republicans are "kicking Americans off their health care, shuttering hospitals, eliminating food assistance, and raising costs."

    "This is Project 2025 in action," she says, referencing a document which outlined a policy agenda put forward by right-wing think tank the Heritage Foundation ahead of Trump's election - an agenda Trump disavowed.

  7. 'Some will die as a result of this bill': Democratic Party officialpublished at 22:32 British Summer Time 3 July

    Ken Martin speaks into a microphoneImage source, Getty Images

    As reaction continues to roll in, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin says the newly-passed bill is "one of the worst bills in our nation’s history".

    He says the bill allows Republicans to "give their billionaire friends another tax handout" and that it will "devastate communities in blue and red states alike".

    "While the GOP continues to cash their billionaire donors’ checks, their constituents will starve, lose critical medical care, lose their jobs — and yes, some will die as a result of this bill."

    He says that Democrats are "mobilising and will fight back".

    And Democratic Governor Gavin Newsome - a staunch Trump opponent - says on social media that the newly passed bill is a "complete moral failure" and that Republicans are "ripping care from cancer patients, meals from children, and money from working families - just to give tax breaks to the ultra-rich".

  8. This bill will turn our country into a rocket ship - President Trumppublished at 22:24 British Summer Time 3 July

    Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force OneImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One

    We're hearing the first comments from Donald Trump since his spending bill was passed in Congress this afternoon as the president speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One on his way to an event in Iowa this evening.

    He says the country is "celebrating the biggest bill of its kind", which is "going to turn this country into a rocket ship".

    He adds that he doesn't have a problem with the Republicans who dissented over the bill, but said he was "disappointed" that some of them voted against it.

    "This is going to be a great bill for the country," he says.

    Media caption,

    Watch: First comments from Trump since his megabill passed

  9. Trump's bill will hurt working-class Americans - Democratic congressmanpublished at 22:14 British Summer Time 3 July

    Arunoday Mukharji
    Reporting from Capitol Hill

    Greg Stanton

    While Republicans celebrate their big legislative victory, the Democrats will be strategising on what to do next as they seek to continue to try and raise their voice against the bill now beyond the House.

    "The president is going to have to work very hard to convince people why ripping away healthcare from millions of Americans is good public policy," Democratic Congressman from Arizona Greg Stanton tells me.

    He says the Republicans may have succeeded in passing the bill, but "the problem is what's in the bill". He goes on to say the bill will hurt working-class Americans - an argument denied by Republicans who say this bill will help working Americans save money because of the extensive tax breaks.

    "Rural hospitals which barely make any money, when you take away such a high percentage of Medicaid(-funded care in the) population, they're going to go out of business," Congressman Stanton tells me.

    Supporters of the bill have maintained that any cuts to Medicaid are aimed at weeding out corruption and fraudulent use of the American healthcare scheme.

  10. White House claims vote against bill will 'cost' Democratspublished at 22:05 British Summer Time 3 July

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    In a call with reporters, senior administration officials say they have looked at polling that might suggest that many Americans are uncomfortable with parts of the bill.

    "All of the major provisions of this bill, among national voter groups... what you find is the centrepieces of this legislation are overwhelmingly popular," the official says, pushing back against concerns.

    Among those items the officials says are popular are enhanced child credits, modernisation of air traffic control and - vitally, from the administration's of view - funding for additional border enforcement.

    "The market loves this bill," the official said of the bill's impact to the economy. "You'll see an overwhelming political boom for Republicans."

    The official added that he believes that votes against the bill will "cost Democrats heavily" in next year's mid-term elections.

  11. Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie has made a political enemy of Trumppublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 3 July

    Thomas Massie, wearing a dark suit and white shirt, stares forward.Image source, Getty Images

    Congressman Thomas Massie was one of two Republicans to vote "no" on Trump's "big, beautiful bill" - and it has put a political target on his back.

    Massie was part of a Republican coalition who was initially vocally against this bill, but most of that group ended up voting for it to pass.

    The only other final Republican holdout today was Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

    Talking to the press yesterday, Trump said Massie is "gonna be history".

    "I just don't think he does a good job for the country," Trump said about the Kentucky lawmaker. "If I oppose somebody, I oppose somebody, and for some reason, the voters, they seem to go along with me."

    Trump added that when it comes time to face reelection next year, Massie is going to have a "big" and "good" opponent who Trump will endorse.

  12. What's President Trump up to today?published at 21:29 British Summer Time 3 July

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    We haven't yet heard from Donald Trump himself about the passage of his "big beautiful bill" in Congress, though White House officials have praised the vote.

    Earlier this afternoon, the president and First Lady Melania Trump met with Edan Alexander, the dual US-Israeli national who was held captive in Gaza for 19 months before being released in May.

    At 1635 EST (2035 GMT), he's set to leave the White House, bound for Joint Base Andrews and a flight to the Iowa State Fair for what the White House has termed a "Salute to America" celebration.

    He's sure to discuss the bill there - and potentially on the White House lawn as he gets ready to take off from Washington.

    Today is, after all, a major victory for Trump and the administration, which has been urging Republicans to fall behind him and push the bill through.

  13. House Republicans were warned by Trump to fall in line ahead of bill's passagepublished at 21:24 British Summer Time 3 July

    Brandon Drenon
    Reporting from the US Capitol

    Representative Chip Roy speaks to reporters inside the US CapitolImage source, BBC News/Brandon Drenon
    Image caption,

    Representative Chip Roy

    We're now beginning to get a glimpse into some of those conversations that happened at the White House between Trump and lawmakers in the last few days that ultimately led to this spending bill's success.

    "The president and others said, 'If you send it back (for more revisions), it's going to get far worse,'" says Representative Ralph Norman, a former holdout who cast the final vote in favour of the bill this afternoon.

    "President Trump reassured us that regulations were going to continue to be cut, the growth rate was going to continue to go up," Norman says.

    Representative Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, was a firm "no" just days ago when the Senate passed its version of the bill and amended the provisions that Norman, Roy and others in the House had signed onto in May. He called the Senate version a "travesty". Today, he voted for it.

    "I feel like we got to a good result on key things," Roy says, although the Senate version of the bill passed in the House unchanged.

  14. Johnson explains how he finally got wavering Republicans onsidepublished at 21:04 British Summer Time 3 July

    Mike Johnson surrounded by his colleagues while speakingImage source, Reuters

    Mike Johnson is speaking after successfully spearheading the bill through the House.

    The Republican House Speaker criticises the Democratic legacy his party inherited, saying his party needed to "quite literally fix every area of public policy", and saying this "the best effort that we could in one big beautiful bill to fix as much of it as we could".

    He then signed the bill, to enthusiastic congratulations from his colleagues around him.

    Asked how he got the holdouts to vote yes, he says some lawmakers in the House wanted to look more closely at changes made to the bill in the senate, adding he allowed people the time to do that.

    He says Trump was "so generous with his time, answering questions himself", and that the vice-president was also "directly engaged", and cabinet members engaged with lawmakers as well.

    "Some of that went late into the night," he says, adding he was not going to demand anyone take a position on the bill until they felt they had exhausted that opportunity

    "That's how we got everybody together," he says.

  15. BBC Verify

    What could the bill do to the US debt?published at 20:46 British Summer Time 3 July

    A graph showing the yearly increase in US debt, starting from 1970 and projecting until 2030

    By Jake Horton

    When Donald Trump was campaigning to be re-elected to a second presidential term, he said: "We will pay off all our debt".

    But the new bill would likely massively increase the US national debt, according to t, externalhe Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, external , external(CRFB) think tank.

    The debt is the overall sum of money owed by the government - essentially the accumulation of past budget deficits - which means it has to borrow money and pay interest on this. The US national debt is currently about $36tn, external (ÂŁ26tn), external.

    The CRFB estimated the debt was already set to rise to 117% of GDP (the size of the US economy) by 2034 because government spending outweighed its revenue.

    But the think tank now estimates that, under the latest version of the bill, the debt could grow even further - hitting 127% of US GDP by 2034.

  16. Biden calls spending bill 'cruel'published at 20:34 British Summer Time 3 July

    Former US President Biden just posted on X, speaking about Trump's spending bill.

    "The Republican budget bill is not only reckless — it’s cruel," he says.

    "It slashes Medicaid and takes away health care from millions of Americans. It closes rural hospitals and cuts food assistance for our veterans and seniors. It jacks up energy bills. And it could trigger deep cuts to Medicare while driving up the deficit by $4 trillion. All of this to give a massive tax break to billionaires."

    "Working people deserve better," he says.

  17. BBC Verify

    What impact could the bill have on Medicaid?published at 20:26 British Summer Time 3 July

    By Jake Horton

    "We're cutting $1.7 trillion in this bill and you're not gonna feel any of it. Your Medicaid is left alone. It's left the same," President Trump claimed at an event about the bill last week.

    However, various analyses show there will be significant reductions to Medicaid under the bill.

    Medicaid is the government-run scheme which provides healthcare insurance for about 71 million low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities.

    Analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) - an independent health policy research group - found that the bill would cut $1tn, external (ÂŁ729bn) from future Medicaid spending over the next 10 years.

    The foundation says most of this will come from new requirements in the bill which mean some people have to prove they work a certain amount each month to be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

    You can read more about the key items in the bill here and BBC Verify’s fact-check on claims about it here.

    A BBC graphic showing the bill is due to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid
  18. White House claims Democrats will 'lie' about Medicaidpublished at 20:23 British Summer Time 3 July

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    In a call with reporters, a senior White House official said that "Democrats will lie" about the impact of the bill, particularly Medicaid.

    "Republicans will have no problem dealing with that argument," a spokesperson says.

    Another official was asked whether the President would move to encourage challenges in primary elections to those who opposed the legislation.

    "The membership understands the president's political power, and ultimately they want his political power to work in their benefit," he responded.

  19. Republicans celebratepublished at 20:18 British Summer Time 3 July

    Brandon Drenon
    Reporting from Capitol Hill

    Republicans celebrate at the CapitolImage source, Brandon Drenon / BBC

    Standing before a massive portrait of George Washington, and beneath two gold encrusted chandeliers, Republicans hold a celebratory press conference in a side room of the US Capitol, marking the beginning of what is sure to be a lengthy victory lap.

    "What a beautiful day here in America. It is the golden age of America again," Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise says.

    "Nobody said it would be easy, but you know what, we didn’t come here to do easy things. We came here to do big things. We came here to make history," Scalise says.

  20. Democrats voice frustrationspublished at 20:13 British Summer Time 3 July

    Many Democrats have been quick to voice their frustrations over the passing of the spending bill after the party voted unanimously against it. Here's how they've reacted:

    • Arizona's Yassamin Ansari says "I’m feeling really sad right now" and vows not to give up
    • California's Nancy Pelosi says that "today ushers in a dark and harrowing time", calling the bill a "dangerous checklist of extreme Republican priorities"
    • North Carolina's Deborah Ross says Republicans have done the "unimaginable", adding "shame on those who voted to hurt so many in the service of so few"
    • New York State Governor Kathy Hochul says Republicans in her state failed to stand up to Trump and instead "voted to gamble with their constituents’ lives to pay for billionaire tax breaks"
    • Texas's Marc Veasey labelled the Republican Party the party of "cowards, chaos and corruption"