President Donald Trump’s ambitious “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping 1,116-page tax and spending proposal, has hit a major roadblock after several Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives refused to back the measure. Despite Trump’s public pressure to “stop talking and get it done,” the bill failed to clear the House budget committee, underscoring deep divisions within the party over spending cuts and fiscal policy.
At the heart of the rebellion are four key obstacles:
1. Medicaid Cuts and Work Requirements
The most controversial element is the proposed reform of Medicaid, the government healthcare programme for low-income Americans. The bill mandates work requirements for able-bodied recipients beginning in 2029, cutting off benefits for those not meeting the criteria. However, conservative lawmakers such as Chip Roy (TX), Ralph Norman (SC), Josh Brecheen (OK), and Andrew Clyde (GA) are demanding that these requirements begin immediately. Others, like Senator Josh Hawley (MO), oppose the cuts altogether, warning that slashing healthcare for the working poor is both unethical and politically damaging.
2. State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions
Republicans from high-tax states such as New York and California oppose the bill’s proposal to raise the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $30,000 for couples. Lawmakers like Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler have called for a significantly higher cap, accusing leadership of offering a compromise that falls short and jeopardizes the bill’s passage.
3. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP)
The bill also targets SNAP, or food stamps, used by over 42 million Americans. It proposes shifting 5% of benefit costs and 75% of administrative costs to individual states, while expanding work requirements up to age 64. Critics say this would harm vulnerable populations, particularly in Republican-led states with high SNAP participation.
4. Insufficient Spending Cuts
Despite the $4.9 trillion in proposed tax breaks, right-wing Republicans argue the spending cuts don’t go far enough to curb the $36 trillion national debt. Without deeper reforms, they say they won’t support the legislation.
As the Republican leadership scrambles for a compromise, the future of Trump’s signature bill remains uncertain.
