What's in Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill"? Let's break it down.
In a 215–214 vote on May 22, the House of Representatives passed “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill” (H.R.1) – a massive, 1,000-page reconciliation bill that would advance the Trump administration’s agenda.
Here’s what’s in the bill…
Tax cuts and extensions:
Extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – passed during Trump’s first term.
Removing federal taxes on tips and overtime wages through 2028.
Raising the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap to $40,000 for taxpayers earning below $500,000.
Creating “Trump Accounts” for parents, providing $1,000 per child.
Tax deductions on up to $10,000 in interest on auto loans for cars assembled in the U.S. through 2029.
Eliminating a longstanding $200 tax on gun silencers, which has been on the books since Congress passed the National Firearms Act in 1934.
Imposing a 3.5% tax on international money transfers.
Increasing taxes on private university endowments.
Increasing the child tax credit by $500 through 2028. (While also lowering the eligibility income threshold, making millions of children ineligible.)
Imposing restrictions on Medicaid:
Implementing work requirements for Medicaid recipients without children under the age of 7 and those under the age of 65 without disabilities.
Increasing the frequency of eligibility checks.
Cutting federal funding to any state that provides healthcare coverage to undocumented immigrants via the Medicaid infrastructure.
Banning Medicaid from covering gender-affirming healthcare for both children and adults.
Cutting Medicaid funding to organizations that provide abortion care, including Planned Parenthood.
(Note: the bill cuts Medicaid by roughly $700 billion over 10 years.)
Billions for Trump’s immigration agenda:
$46.5 billion to continue construction of the Mexico-U.S. “border wall.”
$45 billion for ICE detention centers.
$14.4 billion for ICE “transportation and removal operations.”
$8 billion to hire more ICE agents and personnel.
$5 billion for “improvements” to CBP facilities.
$4.1 billion to hire more Border Patrol agents and other personnel.
$2 billion for “signing and retention bonuses” for Border Patrol agents.
$1.3 billion to hire immigration judges and court staff.
$858 million for retention and signing bonuses for ICE agents and personnel.
$600 million to recruit Border Patrol agents.
$600 million for ICE recruitment.
Expansion of immigration fees:
$1,000 asylum application fee
$1,000 fee for individuals paroled into the U.S.
$3,500 fee for sponsors of unaccompanied children
$5,000 fee for sponsors of unaccompanied children who fail to appear in court
$550 fee for work permit application (must renew every 6 months)
$500 application fee for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
$400 fee to file a diversity immigrant visa application
$250 fee to register for the Diversity Visa Lottery
$250 visa integrity fee
$100 year fee while asylum applications remain pending
$100 fee for continuances granted in immigration court
$5,000 fee for individuals ordered removed in absentia
$1,500 fee to adjust status to lawful permanent resident
$1,050 fee for inadmissibility waivers
$900 fee to appeal a decision by an immigration judge
$900 fee to appeal a decision by DHS
$1,325 fee to appeal in practitioner disciplinary cases
$900 fee to file motions to reopen or reconsider
$600 application fee for suspension of deportation
$600 application fee for cancellation of removal (permanent residents)
$1,500 application fee for cancellation of removal (non-permanent residents)
$30 fee for Form I-94 (arrival/departure record), up from $6
Increased “defense” spending:
The bill adds an additional $150 billion in “defense” spending, which includes:
$24.7 billion for Trump’s “Golden Dome” plan
$33.7 billion for shipbuilding
$4.6 billion for unmanned surface ships and underwater vehicles
$2.2 billion to speed up the development of hypersonic defense systems
$1.9 billion for improved ground-based missile radars
$800 million for accelerated development and deployment of intercontinental ballistic missile defense
$20.4 billion for munitions production
$12.9 billion for nuclear deterrence
$7.2 billion for “air superiority”
$13.5 billion for the production of technologies from defense startups and other nontraditional companies
Modifying SNAP eligibility:
Raising the upper age requirement for adults without children to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from 18-54 to 18-64.
Work requirements: Parents of children ages 7 to 17 must work 80 hours a month in order to qualify for SNAP benefits. (In households where parents are married, only one has to work.)
The bill limits states' ability to exempt individuals from SNAP work requirements.
Requiring states to pay a baseline of 5% of SNAP costs beginning in 2028.
(Note: the bill cuts the SNAP program by about $300 billion over 10 years.)
Changes to federal student loans:
Ending the 2023 SAVE loan repayment program and replacing it with two other repayment plan options:
The standard repayment plan: borrowers will pay back their loan at a fixed rate each month. Loans of up to $25,000 will be paid over the course of 10 years, loans of up to $50,000 will be paid over 15 years, loans of up to $100,000 will be paid over 20 years, and loans over that amount will be spread out over 25 years.
The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP): allows borrowers to make their monthly payments based on income. Borrowers pay rates based on their annual income, which range from $120 per year for those making less than $10,000 (divided up into $10 monthly payments) to 10% of gross annual income for those making over $100,000.
Capping the amount of federal student loans that parents and students can take out:
For students: max $50,000 in total undergraduate loans; $100,000 or $150,000 for graduate and professional programs.
For parents: max $50,000 total in federal loans to pay for their children’s education. (This applies even if parents are taking out loans for multiple children.)
Students and their parents cannot borrow more than $200,000 in total—including both undergraduate and graduate loans. (The limits would take effect in July 2026.)
Ending current rules that allow borrowers to temporarily have their loan payments deferred due to unemployment or economic hardship.
Eliminating students’ access to Pell Grants if they’re enrolled in school less than half time and raises the necessary number of credits taken per year from 24 to 30.
Gutting clean energy tax credits and green programs:
Ending clean energy tax credits from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act on December 31, 2025:
Limiting incentives for wind and solar energy, which will only be available for projects that begin construction 60 days after the bill’s enactment and enter service by 2028.
Imposing fees on electric vehicles:
Electric vehicles – annual registration fee of $250
Hybrid vehicles – annual fee of $100
Eliminating 7 green programs authorized by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act:
Alternative Fuel and Low-Emission Aviation Technology Program
Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program
Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program
Environmental Review Implementation Funds
Funding for the Federal Buildings Fund to acquire and install low-carbon materials and products in the construction of federal buildings
Funding for the Federal Buildings Fund for the conversion of General Services Administration (GSA) facilities to high-performance green buildings
Emerging and Sustainable Technology Program of the GSA
Restricting the power of federal courts:
A provision within H.R.1 states: “No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued.”
In simple terms, this means federal courts — including the Supreme Court — wouldn’t be able to enforce penalties for violating court orders (such as injunctions or temporary restraining orders, which have been used to halt some of the Trump administration’s moves) unless those suing the government have paid a bond. (In the majority of cases, plaintiffs don’t pay a bond when suing the government.)
A spokesperson for the House Ways and Means Committee told CNN that the goal is to “stop frivolous lawsuits.”
Context sources:
Congress.gov
House Judiciary Committee
Ways and Means Committee
Forbes
Scientific American
Yale Climate