The US Congress has passed Donald Trump’s sprawling tax and spending bill in a significant and hard-fought victory for the president and his domestic agenda.
After a gruelling session on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214 on Thursday afternoon. It was approved in the Senate on Tuesday by one vote.
Trump had given the Republican-controlled Congress a deadline of 4 July to send him a final version of the bill to sign into law.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill could add $3.3tn (£2.4tn) to federal deficits over the next 10 years and leave millions without health coverage – a forecast that the White House disputes.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday evening, Trump said the bill would “turn this country into a rocket ship”.
“This is going to be a great bill for the country,” he said.
He is expected to sign it into law at a ceremony on the 4 July national holiday at 17:00 EDT (22:00 BST).
A triumphant Republican Speaker Mike Johnson emerged from the House after the vote and told reporters “belief” was key to rallying support within his party.
“I believed in the people that are standing here behind me… Some of them are more fun to deal with,” he said. “I mean that with the greatest level of respect.”
Among those he had to convince was Representative Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who was a firm “no” just days ago when the Senate passed its version of the bill. He called the Senate version a “travesty”, but changed his mind by the time voting had begun.
(BBC News)
