President Donald Trump has gotten his way. After a hectic few weeks in the Capitol, the House of Representatives finally gave the green light on Thursday to the Big Beautiful Bill, the "big and beautiful" tax law promoted by Trump that will extend tax cuts for the wealthiest in place since 2017 and expiring this year. Once again, it was a close call, amidst chaos, with Democrats powerless, merely trying to disrupt the White House's celebration and choreography.
The project passed the House two weeks ago by just one vote, cleared the Senate on Tuesday only thanks to Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote after a 50-50 split, and garnered enough support with 218 votes in favor and 212 against in the final step. Only two Republicans voted against, as expected. Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, who had already opposed it in the initial stages, and Thomas Massie from Kentucky, who has become Trump's public enemy number one, with Trump vowing to do everything necessary to defeat him in the upcoming elections.
The past few days have been grueling in Congress, with sessions lasting over 24 hours and dozens of procedural votes to ensure rapid approval, aiming for the president to sign the law at the White House this Friday, July 4th, Independence Day.
Republicans hold the majority in both chambers of the legislature, but a very small number of them have defied party discipline, facing off against the president and his threats, considering the tax law unsustainable. Not only because it requires cutting programs like Medicaid, which will no longer provide healthcare coverage to over 10 million people in the next decade, or because it brings no benefits to their states and constituents, but also because it will skyrocket the public deficit and consequently the debt needed to finance it, by three to five trillion dollars in the next decade.
Trump has shown his strength and talent in securing the necessary votes, as it has not been an easy task. He has resorted to flattery, praise, pressure, and even open blackmail and extortion. Over the weekend, he invited several undecided and critical senators, including Senator Rand Paul, his biggest opponent whom he has publicly insulted, to play golf. He also hosted others, making them feel special, with access to the most powerful man in the world, who particularly enjoys playing the role of host in his hotels. But if that's not enough, there's always a Plan B.
The White House, like any administration, plays hardball, especially with congressmen and senators from the same party, to secure quorum. However, Trump has developed a unique, unrestricted method. The message is crystal clear: if you support the president, you will have his backing for reelection. If you vote against, he will mobilize all his media machinery, loyal followers, and all possible funds (even without his main supporter, Elon Musk) to defeat you.
Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina experienced this firsthand; he voted against the law and has already announced with resignation that he will retire at the end of his term at 65, unable to defeat the Democrats with the MAGA world's boycott. Or Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky, who not only opposed the tax law but also the Iran bombing. "He is weak, ineffective, and disrespectful to our great military" criticized the president, launching Kentucky MAGA, a political action committee (PAC) dedicated to defeating Massie in the May 2026 primaries with a $500 million war chest. Trump's political apparatus is the most powerful and well-funded force in American politics, led by two of his top political advisors, Tony Fabrizio and Chris LaCivita, who stated that the PAC would spend "whatever it takes" to defeat Massie.
To expedite the tax law, which allocates more funds to immigration enforcement, eliminates student debt relief programs, and reduces subsidies for renewables, Republicans opted for an accelerated processing procedure known as reconciliation, allowing them to bypass most usual house blockades while facing budget-related hurdles for this year. The bill would cut SNAP, the food assistance program used by 40 million people, by approximately 20%, imposing stricter work requirements and requiring states to bear a larger share of the cost, presumably leaving millions of people off the beneficiary lists.
Reconciliation bills have special rules. If the law does not raise any points of order, it can be passed in the Senate by a simple majority; the 60 votes needed to avoid obstruction are not required. That's what happened on Tuesday morning. Similarly, the debate is limited to 20 hours and cannot be subject to what is known as filibustering, where a senator takes the floor for hours on end. This is precisely what House minority leader Hakeem Jeffreis did on Thursday, taking the podium shortly after 5 a.m. and holding it for eight hours and 44 minutes.
He thus set the record for the longest speech in the House of Representatives, previously held since 2021 by then-minority leader Kevin McCarthy, who spoke for eight hours and 32 minutes in protest against the Democrats' Build Back Better bill. In his lengthy address - in the Senate, precedents are much longer; in fact, Democrat Cory Booker broke the historical record in April with a speech lasting over 24 hours without even pausing for a bathroom break - aimed solely at gaining attention, unsettling the majority, making Trump nervous, and perhaps disrupting the choreography, Jeffries described the law as a "disgusting abomination," using the exact same words previously used by Elon Musk, stating that the Capitol facilities were the "crime scene" against the American people.
During the early hours of Wednesday to Thursday, Majority Leader Mike Johnson, in constant coordination with the White House, managed to persuade the undecided, acknowledging that he understood they "needed time to digest the text modifications" and praising "our bold, visionary, and fearless President Donald J. Trump, the creator and defender of the 'America First' agenda we fulfill today."
According to The New York Times, "a conga line of distressed Republican lawmakers paraded through the West Wing on Wednesday, wavering over the significant national policy bill President Trump wants them to pass by Friday." They entered with reservations or requests and "left with autographed merchandise, photos in the Oval Office, and, according to some, a renewed appreciation for the bill."
"If Republicans were so proud of this One Big Ugly Bill, why did debate begin at 3:28 am?" remarked the Democratic politician at one point in his speech, forcing a daytime vote instead of in the middle of the night with no one watching. In his closing words, Jeffries quoted Martin Luther King, saying that perhaps they cannot do anything now, but they will keep fighting until they can. "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. I just want to tell the American people that, regardless of the outcome of this day, we will keep moving forward. We will keep moving forward. We will keep moving forward." A promise that currently sounds hollow as the Republicans continue to win vote after vote. "Are you tired of winning? Because I'm not," boasted speaker Johnson.