Senate Approves Trump's Domestic Policy Bill, Adds $3 Trillion to Deficit

President Trump's signature domestic policy bill has been approved by the Senate, marking a significant step towards its passage into law. The bill, which has been the subject of intense negotiations and revisions, is expected to face further scrutiny in the House of Representatives, where Republican Speaker Mike Johnson will need to reconcile the Senate changes with his members' competing priorities. The bill's passage in the Senate comes as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will add more than $3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

Key Takeaways:

• The Senate approved President Trump's domestic policy bill in 49 consecutive votes, following weeks of negotiations.
• The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson will need to reconcile the Senate changes with his members' competing priorities.
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the Senate bill would add more than $3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.
• The bill includes provisions that have been met with concerns from fiscal hawks, including the Freedom Caucus, which has warned that the bill violates a budget framework already endorsed by more than 30 House Republicans.
• The Senate bill also includes conservative concessions made to Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, including tax breaks for whalers and other provisions.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to make promises to House members to secure their support for the bill, including new fiscal commissions and spending cuts.
• The bill includes significant cuts to Medicaid, which could result in nearly 12 million people losing their health care coverage.
• The Senate changes to the bill made it more conservative on Medicaid than expected, but still face opposition from many House members.

Statistics:

• The Senate bill would add more than $3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
• The original budget framework endorsed by over 30 House Republicans set a fiscal goal, which the Senate bill does not meet.
• The bill includes tax breaks for whalers and other provisions made to Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski in exchange for her support.
• Nearly 12 million people could lose their health care coverage under the bill's proposed Medicaid cuts.
• The Senate bill went more conservative on Medicaid than expected, but still has provisions that have been met with concerns from governors and rural communities.

Sources:

• Congressional Budget Office
• Seven Letter
• Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy