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USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Inside Trump's new tax bill: what it means for you
Inside Trump's new tax bill: what it means for you Show Caption Hide Caption Trump tells Walmart to 'eat the tariffs' instead of raising prices U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Walmart should "eat the tariffs" instead of blaming duties imposed by his administration on imported goods for the retailer's increased prices. Reuters WASHINGTON – There's good news for the nation's wealthiest, car buyers, parents, waiters and waitresses in legislation that passed the U.S. House early in the morning on May 22. There's bad news for people making less than $50,000, recipients of Medicaid and food stamps and anyone still saddled with student loan debt. But no one should take it to the bank quite yet: The bill passed to enact President Donald Trump's agenda still has a long road to becoming law. It will now go to the Senate, where it may be changed and then voted on yet again before heading to the president's desk for his signature. More: House passes Trump's deficit-swelling tax bill, with big Medicaid changes Here's what you need to know about what's in the package Trump calls his one "big, beautiful bill." Medicaid, SNAP cuts House Republicans have approved big changes that would save at least $625 billion from Medicaid, the program that provides health insurance to more than 71 million low-income Americans. Those changes are expected to cause 7.6 million Americans to lose their health insurance over the next 10 years, according to initial estimates by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The legislation would implement work requirements for adults enrolled in Medicaid expansion and increase the frequency of eligibility checks to ensure people still qualify for the program. More: Republican bill cuts Medicaid for unemployed, undocumented children, Planned Parenthood It would also bar Medicaid from funding services at clinics that also perform abortions, such as Planned Parenthood, and discourages states from using their own funds to provide Medicaid coverage to undocumented children. The bill would also implement new work requirements for people ages 55 to 64 in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, which provides food assistance to around 42 million Americans. That would save up to $300 billion over the next ten years and shift more of the cost of the program to states for the first time. It would also limit SNAP eligibility to citizens and lawful permanent residents and prevent future presidential administrations from increasing benefits without Congressional approval. Big tax breaks The tax cuts implemented through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law by Trump during his first term expire at the end of the year. If they are not extended, income tax rates will go up for all but two income brackets next year. This bill would make those cuts permanent. While the policy keeps tax rates lower for all income groups, they disproportionately benefit wealthier Americans. Families could benefit from an increased child tax credit of $2,500 through 2028, which would drop to $2,000 after that. If the bill doesn't pass, the child tax credit would drop back to $1,000 at the end of this year. People over age 65 could also deduct an additional $4,000 from their taxes if they make less than $75,000 or $150,000 filing jointly. No tax on tips, overtime Tipped employees like waiters and hairstylists would be able to claim a new tax deduction for tips through 2028, as could workers who are paid overtime wages. The bill would also allow people to temporarily deduct up to $10,000 in car loan interest payments if they buy an American-made vehicle. SALT benefits Republicans from primarily Democratic states like California, New York and New Jersey pushed for an increased cap on state and local tax deductions, also known as SALT, which allows people to write off a portion of their local taxes from what they owe the federal government. The 2017 tax law capped that deduction at $10,000. The new bill would raise that cap to $40,000 for people who make less than $500,000 per year. Green energy roll-backs The bill would cut off many green energy tax credits for projects beginning 60 days after the bill passes – a major priority and last-minute change for fiscal conservatives who were hoping to shave more off the cost of the bill. The bill would rescind several other climate change-related provisions of former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, including a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles. It would pull back unspent money for several grant and loan programs at the Energy Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, delay methane fees for oil and gas companies, repeal additional rules encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles, and accelerate permitting for fossil fuel projects. 'Trump' savings accounts Children under 8 years old would be given $1,000 each for their parents to open savings accounts that Republican lawmakers dubbed "Trump" accounts. Parents, other relatives and non-profits could contribute $5,000 annually to the account tax free until the child is 18, when a portion of the funds can be used for higher education, training programs, buying a home or starting a small business until age 30, when the funds would become unrestricted. Taxing universities, boosting private schools The bill would increase taxes on private university endowments. The rate would jump significantly for schools with higher rates for larger endowments, like those held by elite schools such as Harvard University. The bill would also allow the federal government to spend $5 billion per year for the next four years on vouchers that could be used to subsidize education outside of public schools. Families who earn less than three times their local median income and who receive the federal scholarships created by the program could choose to spend the estimated $5,000 they receive on tuition or other schooling needs at private schools, parochial schools or homeschooling. Student loan changes Student loan relief regulations enacted by Biden's administration would be repealed, and the number of repayment plans for federally held loans would shrink to just two programs. The bill would also impose significant caps on loans for parents and undergraduate students, while eliminating a lending program for future graduate students. George Petras and Jennifer Borresen contributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The 7 pieces of the House megabill that could succumb to Senate rules
Pet policy measures stuffed into President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' by House Republicans are now at risk of getting jettisoned by the Senate. From Planned Parenthood to gun silencers to expedited energy permits, Speaker Mike Johnson and committee chairs tucked various provisions into the recently passed megabill to secure votes — and deliver some elusive GOP wins. But several are considered likely to run afoul of strict Senate rules governing reconciliation — the budget process Republicans are using to skirt a Democratic filibuster. Under what's known as the Byrd rule, 'extraneous' measures that have only a negligible impact on the budget, or none at all, have to go. Senate Republicans are expected to closely follow the guidance of parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough as they embark on the 'Byrd bath' in the coming weeks, with noncompliant provisions sometimes referred to as, yes, 'Byrd droppings.' Here are some of the biggest areas to watch for a big Byrd mess: The most consequential item subject to Byrd review is the GOP's proposal to use a controversial accounting tactic to essentially zero out the cost of extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts. Republicans temporarily sidestepped getting a formal blessing of the 'current policy baseline' method from MacDonough as part of the budget resolution debate earlier this year, but Senate GOP staff have met with her several times this year on how to try to craft the megabill, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. Other tax provisions are also at risk, though Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has worked with House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) to fine-tune some of the House text in anticipation of Byrd challenges. The House megabill includes a 10-year ban on states enforcing regulations on artificial intelligence. While there has been no official budgetary score for the provision, Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has acknowledged the provision will be challenged for a Byrd violation. During a marathon House Energy and Commerce Committee markup earlier this month, panel staff called the provision a "policy change,' which could be detrimental to Republicans' case that it can be included under Senate rules. GOP aides argue it's necessary to carry out a $500 million upgrade of technology at the Commerce Department but Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said it didn't seem to pass the budget-impact smell test. 'That sounds awfully policy-centric in my mind,' he said. Senate Democrats are planning to challenge House language that would place limits on the federal courts' ability to enforce contempt citations. House Republicans have argued the language is aimed at frivolous lawsuits, but Democrats and some legal scholars view it as an attempt to rein in the courts' ability to hold the Trump administration accountable. Some House Republicans have also vowed to try to get the Senate to remove the language, with Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) telling constituents at a town hall this week that he wasn't aware the provision was in the bill. House Republicans made a major change to the way gun silencers are regulated as part of an eleventh-hour effort to win over Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.). They had already agreed to eliminate a $200 transfer tax on gun silencers in an initial draft of the bill. The final version, however, went much further — also ending the $200 tax on the manufacture of gun silencers and removing them from the regulatory purview of the National Firearms Act, which involves mandatory registration and other strictures. While Republicans are confident the tax eliminations will survive in the Senate, there was internal debate over whether the deregulatory provision would ultimately fall under Byrd, according to one person granted anonymity to disclose private deliberations. Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) has privately warned that the House's agriculture package — which includes $60 billion in programs typically included in the farm bill — could face Byrd-related complications. Boozman supports including 'risk management' policies for farmers — like bolstering crop insurance, which make up the most expensive parts of the farm bill. But he and other Senate Republicans are skeptical that some other programs — dealing with biosecurity, trade promotion, research and more — will comply with Byrd. The decision has big implications for ag policy: If those pieces are stripped out, it could become difficult, if not impossible, for lawmakers to pass a 'skinny' farm bill later this year. MacDonough ruled in 2017 that language aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood did not comply with Byrd amid Republicans' bid to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Now, the GOP is making a similar effort, with the House including language broadly barring Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. The parliamentarian isn't the only threat here: Several centrist Republicans in both the House and Senate oppose targeting the organization, which provides other health care services in addition to abortion. House Republicans moved to streamline permitting for fossil fuel projects in their version of the megabill, but — as they have long acknowledged — Senate budget rules are likely to come into play. In 2022, for instance, Democrats omitted energy permitting provisions sought by then-Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin from the reconciliation package that became the Inflation Reduction Act, in part due to Byrd concerns. But Republicans say the narrower measures they included that raise money by charging fees to developers to expedite their permits could skirt Byrd scrutiny. They've already dropped several pipeline permitting provisions and softened language to advance the controversial Ambler Road project in Alaska.
Politico
a day ago
- Business
- Politico
The 7 pieces of the House megabill that could succumb to Senate rules
Pet policy measures stuffed into President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' by House Republicans are now at risk of getting jettisoned by the Senate. From Planned Parenthood to gun silencers to expedited energy permits, Speaker Mike Johnson and committee chairs tucked various provisions into the recently passed megabill to secure votes — and deliver some elusive GOP wins. But several are considered likely to run afoul of strict Senate rules governing reconciliation — the budget process Republicans are using to skirt a Democratic filibuster. Under what's known as the Byrd rule, 'extraneous' measures that have only a negligible impact on the budget, or none at all, have to go. Senate Republicans are expected to closely follow the guidance of parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough as they embark on the 'Byrd bath' in the coming weeks, with noncompliant provisions sometimes referred to as, yes, 'Byrd droppings.' Here are some of the biggest areas to watch for a big Byrd mess: The most consequential item subject to Byrd review is the GOP's proposal to use a controversial accounting tactic to essentially zero out the cost of extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts. Republicans temporarily sidestepped getting a formal blessing of the 'current policy baseline' method from MacDonough as part of the budget resolution debate earlier this year, but Senate GOP staff have met with her several times this year on how to try to craft the megabill, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. Other tax provisions are also at risk, though Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has worked with House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) to fine-tune some of the House text in anticipation of Byrd challenges. The House megabill includes a 10-year ban on states enforcing regulations on artificial intelligence. While there has been no official budgetary score for the provision, Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has acknowledged the provision will be challenged for a Byrd violation. During a marathon House Energy and Commerce Committee markup earlier this month, panel staff called the provision a 'policy change,' which could be detrimental to Republicans' case that it can be included under Senate rules. GOP aides argue it's necessary to carry out a $500 million upgrade of technology at the Commerce Department but Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said it didn't seem to pass the budget-impact smell test. 'That sounds awfully policy-centric in my mind,' he said. Senate Democrats are planning to challenge House language that would place limits on the federal courts' ability to enforce contempt citations. House Republicans have argued the language is aimed at frivolous lawsuits, but Democrats and some legal scholars view it as an attempt to rein in the courts' ability to hold the Trump administration accountable. Some House Republicans have also vowed to try to get the Senate to remove the language, with Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) telling constituents at a town hall this week that he wasn't aware the provision was in the bill. House Republicans made a major change to the way gun silencers are regulated as part of an eleventh-hour effort to win over Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.). They had already agreed to eliminate a $200 transfer tax on gun silencers in an initial draft of the bill. The final version, however, went much further — also ending the $200 tax on the manufacture of gun silencers and removing them from the regulatory purview of the National Firearms Act, which involves mandatory registration and other strictures. While Republicans are confident the tax eliminations will survive in the Senate, there was internal debate over whether the deregulatory provision would ultimately fall under Byrd, according to one person granted anonymity to disclose private deliberations. Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) has privately warned that the House's agriculture package — which includes $60 billion in programs typically included in the farm bill — could face Byrd-related complications. Boozman supports including 'risk management' policies for farmers — like bolstering crop insurance, which make up the most expensive parts of the farm bill. But he and other Senate Republicans are skeptical that some other programs — dealing with biosecurity, trade promotion, research and more — will comply with Byrd. The decision has big implications for ag policy: If those pieces are stripped out, it could become difficult, if not impossible, for lawmakers to pass a 'skinny' farm bill later this year. MacDonough ruled in 2017 that language aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood did not comply with Byrd amid Republicans' bid to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Now, the GOP is making a similar effort, with the House including language broadly barring Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. The parliamentarian isn't the only threat here: Several centrist Republicans in both the House and Senate oppose targeting the organization, which provides other health care services in addition to abortion. House Republicans moved to streamline permitting for fossil fuel projects in their version of the megabill, but — as they have long acknowledged — Senate budget rules are likely to come into play. In 2022, for instance, Democrats omitted energy permitting provisions sought by then-Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin from the reconciliation package that became the Inflation Reduction Act, in part due to Byrd concerns. But Republicans say the narrower measures they included that raise money by charging fees to developers to expedite their permits could skirt Byrd scrutiny. They've already dropped several pipeline permitting provisions and softened language to advance the controversial Ambler Road project in Alaska.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Abortion rights organizer Sarah Dixit running for Spokane city council
May 29—Reproductive rights organizer Sarah Dixit is running for Spokane City Council in the seat currently held by Councilman Jonathan Bingle. Bingle is one of two conservatives in the minority of the seven-member council. Fellow conservative Michael Cathcart and Bingle represent council District 1, which covers the northeastern third of the city — east of Division and north of Trent. The district also includes almost all of downtown Spokane. Bingle is running for re-election for the first time after winning his first four-year term in 2021. Last year, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination of Spokane's Congressional seat. Cathcart announced Wednesday that he's running for Spokane County Auditor in 2026. In challenging the incumbent, Dixit said she wants to bring a young voice to city council that will uplift marginalized communities and those who may not be civically engaged. "A lot of folks are working jobs," she said. "They have kids at home. They can't follow what's happening at city council. We need to make this whole process more accessible for people, and especially for communities of color, immigrant populations and young people." At 29, Dixit believes she can reach these underserved populations as a young, queer woman of color. Dixit said she does not see that kind of advocacy from her opponent. "I don't see Jonathan in the community. At the events I'm at," she said. "I just haven't heard that type of advocacy from him when it comes to transit, bike safety investment, other issues." A big focus of her nascent campaign will be accessibility to public transit . Dixit wants to increase investments in public transit and have fares on a sliding scale, allowing those with the least resources to get the most access. Though firmly aligned with the council's progressive majority, Dixit said she would not be a "cookie-cutter" version of those already on council. Having grown up in Southern California, Dixit came to Spokane to attend Whitworth University. While in college, the first election of Donald Trump spurred her into activism. She went on to found the Christian college's first pro-choice club. Since graduating in 2018, she has advocated for reproductive and abortion rights full time at Planned Parenthood and as organizing director of Pro-Choice Washington. At Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, Dixit worked under Paul Dillon, who now serves on Spokane's city council. Dixit called Dillon a "mentor" who encouraged her to run. As a potential representative of downtown Spokane, Dixit said she has pride for the city center. "There's a lot of rhetoric about downtown that I don't necessarily agree with," she said. "I love downtown, and it's a place that makes Spokane really special." When addressing homelessness, the city should have a "multipronged approach" that uses less incarceration and more resources to prevent someone from becoming unhoused in the first place, she said. "A lot of the issues stem from the dehumanization of folks who are unhoused. I really want to make sure that we are working on issues in a way that recognizes these folks are Spokanites too. And their humanity needs to be a part of the conversations we're having," she said. Asked about concerns she might be too young to effectively serve, Dixit said there is no shortage of older voices on council. "I approach the work in a way that comes from all my lived experiences — being the daughter of immigrants, being someone who really loves the culture and the heart of Spokane. That lends itself to me being a different type of council member for Spokane," she said. Her parents emigrated from India. Endorsements for Dixit include Council President Betsy Wilkerson, Dillon, state Rep. Natasha Hill, state Sen. Marcus Riccelli and others.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Anti-abortion group targets 12 GOP senators
The Big Story The House-passed bill to advance President Trump's agenda includes a provision to 'defund' Planned Parenthood, a longtime goal of the anti-abortion movement. One of the key players wants to ensure the bill makes it across the finish line in the Senate with that provision intact. © AP Students for Life Action (SFLAction) President Kristan Hawkins said that a monthlong mobilization would run through the month of June, focusing on 12 GOP senators in particular: Sens. Shelley Moore Capito ( Susan Collins (Maine), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mike Lee (Utah), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rand Paul (Ky.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Todd Young (Ind.). 'Our target list of U.S. senators represents friends and sometimes foes, all of whom are expressing reluctance on the need to set aside our differences to prioritize getting abortion vendors out of our healthcare spending. Pregnancy is not a disease cured by abortion,' Hawkins said in a statement. The Senate is expected to make some significant changes to the House version of the bill. Murkowski and Collins have already expressed uneasiness over the provision tied to Planned Parenthood, and Senate Republicans can only afford to lose three votes. Federal funding is already banned from being used to cover abortions, but the House's legislation would expand that to prohibit funds flowing to any health care organization focusing on family planning and reproductive health that provides abortions. The bill doesn't explicitly mention Planned Parenthood, but it's the only such health center that also provides abortions. The legislation aims to save hundreds of billions of dollars from health provisions; according to congressional scorekeepers, the Planned Parenthood provision is the only one that costs money. Planned Parenthood Action Fund says if the bill passes, one-third of Planned Parenthood health centers across the country — nearly 200 — could close. The majority of medical services the centers provide are sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment and contraception, but Republicans say any other community health center or physician office can do the same. Hawkins said her organization will score the vote, a rarity for a budget bill. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: White House to fix 'formatting errors' in RFK Jr. 'MAHA Report' The White House on Thursday said it will fix errors in its 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA, report after a news outlet's investigation found that it cited sources that don't exist. The report, released last week to much fanfare by the administration, cited hundreds of studies to purportedly find the root causes of chronic diseases. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the report a 'milestone' … White House attacks Jill Biden over Joe Biden health 'cover-up' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attacked former first lady Jill Biden on Thursday over allegations that individuals around then-President Biden intentionally kept information about his health issues a secret. Republicans are calling on two dozen former senior Biden administration officials to appear before the Senate and answer questions about the former president's health amid allegations that the White … Study reveals decline in mental health among US mothers A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals a troubling decline in mental health among mothers in the United States. Researchers at Columbia University and the University of Michigan found the percentage of mothers reporting 'excellent' mental health dropped sharply from 2016 to 2023. Using data from nearly 200,000 mothers in the National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative survey … In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: HHS cancels funding for Moderna vaccines to fight pandemic flu The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in funding pledged to Moderna to help the company develop, test and license mRNA-based vaccines to combat pandemic flu viruses, including bird flu in humans. The company said it was notified Wednesday that the agency had terminated the funding awarded by the Biden administration for the late-stage development and right to purchase … Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Most read stories on The Hill right now: Second federal court blocks Trump's tariffs A second federal court blocked the bulk of President Trump's tariffs on Thursday, ruling he cannot claim unilateral authority to impose them … Read more Appeals court lifts first block on Trump tariffs A federal appeals court lifted the first of two rulings blocking President Trump's tariffs on Thursday, handing him a temporary win after a lower court … Read more What People Think Opinion related to health submitted to The Hill: Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
