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A large tax cut, as well as more money for defense and immigration enforcement, would be financed by slashing health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs.
May 15, 2025, 4:07 p.m. ET
Republicans’ megabill to enact President Trump’s agenda began coming together this week, as a trio of committees released, debated and approved critical pieces of legislation that House leaders hope to bring to a vote as soon as next week.
It would slash taxes, while providing the biggest savings to the wealthy, and steer more money to the military and immigration enforcement, while cutting health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs to pay for it.
Major portions of the sprawling package remain unresolved, amid Republican divisions over cuts to Medicaid and details of the tax plan, among other issues. But the emerging package provides a newly detailed picture of the party’s policy priorities, as well as a road map of the sticking points that could derail what Mr. Trump calls the “big, beautiful bill.”
Republicans are pushing the package through Congress using a special process known as budget reconciliation that allows them to steer around a filibuster and win approval without a single Democratic vote. But with tiny majorities in both chambers, they can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes in both the House and Senate. The first test will come in the House, where leaders want to bring it up before Memorial Day.
Here’s a look at the bill, and the biggest remaining areas of disagreement within the party:
Cutting taxes
The bottom line: The heart of the bill is a roughly $3.8 trillion tax cut that would lock in many of the tax cuts Republicans passed in 2017, including lower marginal income rates, a larger standard deduction and a higher threshold for the estate tax, with some tweaks.
The measure also includes several new, temporary tax cuts that Mr. Trump campaigned on, including his promises not to tax tips or overtime. His pitch not to tax Social Security benefits takes the form of a bonus $4,000 deduction available to Americans over 65, with the benefit shrinking at higher income levels. Americans would also be able to deduct interest on car loans from their taxable income, though the car has to be made in the United States.
