The United States House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including provisions for tax cuts, welfare reform, funding border security, cutting spending in various areas, and raising the debt ceiling, by a single vote early Thursday morning.
Both of Maine’s Democratic U.S. representatives voted in opposition to this bill alongside all other members of their party. Two Republicans — Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) — also voted against the legislation.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) voted present, while Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) and Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) were recorded as not voting. Garbarino apparently fell asleep in the back of the House chamber and missed the vote.
Thursday’s vote represents a major victory for House Republicans who overcame policy disagreements to bring a number of President Donald Trump’s (R) campaign promises a step closer to being realized.
“Great job by Speaker Mike Johnson, and the House Leadership, and thank you to every Republican who voted YES on this Historic Bill! Now, it’s time for our friends in the United States Senate to get to work, and send this Bill to my desk AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! There is no time to waste,” said President Trump in a Truth Social post.
This bill looks to enact many of Trump’s campaign promises, including by extending his 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security, as well as by funding border security efforts and implementing work requirements for certain public assistance programs.
Under this legislation, non-disabled adults without children would be required to work a minimum number of hours each month in order to qualify for Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
This legislation also would increase maximum value of the state and local tax deduction, also known as SALT, which was capped at $10,000 in 2017. Under this bill, the cap would be raised to $40,000 for married couples making up to $500,000.
Additionally, the bill looks to eliminate about $1.5 trillion worth of government spending in other areas.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would also raise the nation’s debt ceiling by $4 trillion, preventing the United States from risking the possibility of defaulting on its obligations.
Maine Rep. Jared Golden (D) issued a statement Thursday morning explaining his vote against the bill, officially referred to as HR 1, arguing that the legislation favors wealthy Americans over the poor and working class and calling it “one of the easiest ‘no’ votes” he’s taken.
“The House GOP had every opportunity to work across the aisle to write a budget that put middle-class families first. Instead, they’re ramming through an extreme agenda that takes health care away from the working poor and borrows trillions of dollars to fund a package of tax cuts tilted in favor of those at the top,” said Rep. Golden.
“Mainers want more health care, not less. They want a tax code where everyone pays their fair share. And they want Congress to get its fiscal house in order,’ Golden argued. “This bill fails on each of those fronts, so this is one of the easiest ‘no’ votes I’ve ever taken.”
Golden also criticized House lawmakers for making a “last-minute amendment” banning insurance plans sold as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace from covering abortion care, referring to this as “an attack on women’s reproductive freedom made under cover of darkness.”
Having supported Trump’s policies on tariffs and voting against his party to prevent a government shutdown earlier this year, Golden — who this week announced he is seeking re-election and may face Democrat primary opponent, now appears focused on defending his partisan flank.
Click Here to Read Rep. Golden’s Full Statement
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) has also issued a statement explaining her reasons for opposing HR 1, raising many of the same concerns as Golden, referring to it as a “GOP tax scam robs from those with the least to line the pockets of the wealthy.”
“If it’s signed into law, it will represent the single largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history,” she argued.
Rep. Pingree also argued that the changes proposed in the bill would “cruelly strip” Medicaid coverage from thousand of Mainers, as well as “drastically gut” the SNAP program.
“With the narrow passage of this reckless bill, Republicans have brazenly chosen to sacrifice the health and economic security of working Americans to give massive handouts to billionaires and corporate interests,” said Pingree. “This legislation represents the ultimate betrayal of hardworking families across our nation.”
“Republicans love to talk about reducing the deficit, yet this bill recklessly adds nearly $4 trillion to our national debt, jeopardizing bond markets, destabilizing our economy, and potentially triggering billions in cuts to Medicare,” Pingree said.
“My Democratic colleagues and I fought tirelessly to expose and oppose this bill at every turn, demanding transparency and accountability,” argued Pingree. “The American people deserve to understand exactly what happened today: House Republicans deliberately chose their ultra-rich donors over the well-being and financial security of everyday Americans.”
Click Here to Read Rep. Pingree’s Full Statement
HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will now go before the Senate for consideration where it may be further amended before continuing through the legislative process.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the top-ranking Democrat in the Senate, has said that “this is not one big, beautiful bill — it’s ugly.”
“We look forward to the Senate’s timely consideration of this once-in-a-generation legislation,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the vote Thursday. “We’re going to get it there by Independence Day on July 4, and we are going to celebrate a new golden age in America.”
