Senate Prepares To Fight Over the Big, Beautiful Bill

The ball is now in the Senate’s court on the Trump tax and spending bill.  And the fight over taxes, SNAP cuts, and tariffs is heating up quickly.  Majority Leader John Thune recently said it's ‘full speed ahead’ on the president’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” while slamming Democrats for vowing to fight against extending the 2017 tax cuts with 'everything they’ve got'.

“They are going to be voting for the largest tax increase in American history.  That would be $2.6 trillion in new taxes on people in this country making less than $400,000 a year.” 

Democrats Worried About The Millions That Will See SNAP Benefits Reduced

Doing so by trying to kill a bill that also doubles the estate tax exemption and includes small business, interest, and expensing tax breaks. The House-passed measure has critical farm bill reference price and crop insurance improvements.

But Democrats have some grave concerns.

“This betrayal when it comes to food assistance is going to be very expensive and very out of reach for a lot of people," noted Top Senate Ag Democrat, Amy Klobuchar. "40% of SNAP participants are kids, almost 20% are seniors, and 10% are adults with disabilities.  This is a $300 billion cut.” 

Internal Fights In The GOP Could Make Bill Passage More Difficult

Which Democrats argue will also cost farmers, but without the savings, Republicans charge  that will keep producers at outdated 2018 support levels and SNAP at pandemic levels.  Republicans meantime, have their own internal fights over how much to cut in changing the House bill.

“Look, it’s very complicated," Thune said.  "We know that. I can’t speak for the House schedule.  What I can tell you is, we’re going to do everything we can to stay on what we’ve laid out, and that is to try and work through these next two or three weeks to be prepared, to try and put that bill on the floor the last week before the 4th of July.”

Thune predicted despite the narrow vote margins in both chambers, the Trump agenda bill will get done, he says, “one way or the other.”

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