Various dramas – All-night voting and then approval of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill
following all legal procedures May 22, 2025 | Washington — After a dramatic all-night session and several days of discussions, US President Donald Trump’s domestic policy-based budget bill passed the House of Representatives by a narrow margin on Thursday.
The bill passed by a vote of 215 to 214. Only two House Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio—voted against it. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (D-Maryland) abstained.
The bill, considered a key policy piece for President Trump’s second term, was unveiled hours before the vote by Republican leaders, who are expected to offer an updated version of the bill, designed to appease some rebellious members.
A key procedural hurdle was cleared in the early hours of the night, paving the way for the final vote, which had been the center of tension at the Republican conference for days.
The bill will now go to the Senate, where some Republicans have already expressed opposition.
“We look forward to the Senate’s swift consideration of this most important legislation in a generation,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said. “We are committed to delivering it to the President for his signature before Independence Day (July 4), and then we will celebrate a new golden age for America.”
“This bill would not have passed without President Trump’s leadership,” White House spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt said on social media.
The bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” reflects the Trump administration’s priorities in tax policy, defense and energy. It has faced multiple obstacles since the beginning of the year, but Republican leadership has repeatedly assured that opposition concerns will be taken into account later.
But as Johnson’s own deadline to get the bill through the House before Memorial Day approached, opposition from various factions in the party grew, especially over key provisions including Medicaid and local and state tax exemptions.
The 42-page Manager’s Amendment, released Wednesday night, was made to appease hard-line members of the House Freedom Caucus and blue-state Republicans, and proposes moving the Medicaid work requirement into effect in 2026, rather than 2029.
“If you vote ‘no,’ you are voting against America’s energy, border security, and the interests of middle-class families,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the vote.
“This is a big, beautiful bill that will put Americans back on the winning track,” House Speaker Johnson said.
All Democrats voted against the bill. House Democrats tried to delay the vote on the bill by creating procedural obstructions throughout the night. House Minority Leader Hakim Jeffries called the bill “irresponsible, regressive and a disgraceful Republican tax scam.”
The White House Budget Office said Wednesday that the bill reflects “the shared priorities of Congress and the administration” and that “it would be the ultimate betrayal if the bill were not passed.”
