One of many distinctive elements of Washington life is a Senate “vote-a-rama,” during which the higher home of Congress tortures itself by pulling a marathon all-nighter of speeches, amendments and votes on a important invoice.
The Senate has simply endured the standard mélange of horrors before passing US President Donald Trump’s large tax and spending agenda – the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The method was a multitude and the ultimate end result was tight: 51-50 after Vice President JD Vance broke the tie. However it landed one other large political win for Trump.
It is going to probably be no totally different when the invoice hits the Home of Representatives, earlier than being signed into regulation, perhaps as quickly as July 4 – Independence Day.
Mega invoice
Utilizing the momentum from his bunker-busting strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Trump pressured wavering congressional Republicans to toe the road and help the package deal.
The invoice features a continuation of Trump’s tax cuts from his first time period, which had been set to run out subsequent yr. They’re being portrayed as new tax reduction, despite the fact that American tax coverage stays the identical due to arcane funds course of guidelines in Congress.
Trump included a provision eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, which is able to additional endear him to many working People, significantly these in non-public sector unions and meals providers.
The invoice additionally gives extra funding for border safety and a US$150 billion (A$227 billion) increase to defence spending, which is able to quickly be monitoring at greater than US$1 trillion (A$1.51 trillion) per yr.
Different measures embrace work necessities for presidency well being care recipients and cuts to 2 main security web packages, together with Medicaid.
As a funds invoice, there are some limits to what provisions might be included, however the Trump crew was in a position to shoehorn practically all of his home agenda into this invoice – therefore the absurd title.
All of this implies Trump can get what he needs if he retains Republicans united, as no Democrats are wanted to cross the invoice into regulation.
Democrat opposition
The “massive stunning invoice” gives some political alternatives to Trump’s opponents.
The Democrats have fought the invoice at each step, saying the “tax cuts” solely profit wealthy individuals whereas the well being care cuts could have extreme penalties for the working poor.
They’ll plausibly accuse Republicans of slicing taxes for the rich. Nonetheless, the tax cuts on ideas and extra time considerably mitigate that assault.
Jim Lo Scalzo/AAP
The Democrats have additionally highlighted the affect of the invoice on America’s nationwide debt, which is at traditionally excessive ranges. However this assault has solely extremely restricted advantages for the social gathering, which isn’t recognized for its personal spending restraint.
However, Trump’s invoice is to date successful passage, usually by the thinnest attainable margins, at each stage of the splendidly convoluted American legislative course of.
‘Totally insane and harmful’
The victory within the Senate has not come with out some prices, particularly given the way in which it has exacerbated Trump’s explosive feud with Elon Musk.
The general public divorce between Trump and his former “First Good friend” has been an ongoing cleaning soap opera. Saturation media protection of the squabble between the world’s richest man and its strongest, has featured threats, accusations, name-calling, and bodily confrontations.
As soon as it grew to become clear Trump’s One Massive Stunning Invoice didn’t embrace important funds cuts, Musk turned on his patron and severely criticised the legislative effort, as “political suicide” for the Republican Celebration:
It is going to destroy thousands and thousands of jobs in America and trigger immense strategic hurt to our nation
Though the 2 males patched issues up just a few weeks in the past, the bitter feud has erupted once more with the invoice’s passage although the Senate.
Musk says the bill is “completely insane and harmful” and is vowing political retribution on Republicans who voted for it:
In flip, Trump has threatened to deport Musk again to his delivery nation of South Africa and switch the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) free on Musk’s companies which have contracts with the federal government, together with SpaceX, which is a needed part of the American house program.

Evan Vucci/AAP
Musk’s tantrums are unlikely to result in actual political issues for Trump, given many congressional Republicans proceed to depend on the president for help.
They won’t be tempted to help Musk irrespective of how a lot he threatens them.
Trump’s triumph
The president has managed his legislative technique to close perfection.
Trump and his crew used the DOGE course of to provide political cowl to fiscal conservatives to vote with him on the invoice. Even the breach with Musk didn’t change this dynamic a lot.
On the finish of all of it, Trump has been in a position to implement self-discipline in his personal social gathering and get what he wanted from Congress.
When Trump indicators his massive stunning invoice into regulation, it is going to be one other political victory for the president.