Washington: In a significant development, the US House of Representatives has passed a sweeping tax and spending bill that enacts much of Donald Trump’s policy agenda. The legislation, which Trump has called “one, big, beautiful bill,” cleared the House with a 215–214 vote. All Democrats opposed the bill, along with two Republicans, while a third Republican voted “present.”
The 1,000-page package now heads to the Senate, where it must be approved before it can become law, according to reports. The bill would extend corporate and individual tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term in 2017, introduce new tax breaks on tips and car loans, and eliminate several green-energy incentives introduced under Joe Biden.
It would also tighten eligibility for food and healthcare assistance programs and significantly expand border enforcement, including the hiring of tens of thousands of new agents and provisions for deporting up to a million people annually. Military spending would also increase under the proposal.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, as quoted by Reuters, the bill would add about $3.8 trillion to the US government’s $36.2 trillion debt over the next decade.
Meanwhile, Trump "grilled" the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, on the persecution of white farmers in his country with a video representation and news articles in a joint media interface at the White House. Trump has suspended foreign aid to South Africa and has ordered the speedy processing of refugee status for white South Africans.
