Ahead of deliberations on President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act — the sweeping budget reconciliation package with cuts to taxes and social safety programs — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) taunted his Democratic Senate colleagues Monday in proclaiming the bill to be their “worst nightmare.”
“For those big liberal folks – who I like personally – this bill’s a nightmare for you,” said Graham who, as chair of the Senate budget committee, has played a significant role in getting the bill to the Senate floor. “This bill is good for the American people who work hard.”
Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, the OBBBA would make the tax cuts implemented during Trump’s first term permanent, with the majority disproportionately benefiting the top 1% of American earners. The bill would also introduce new tax cuts, including increased tax deductions for seniors and no taxes on tips, at an estimated cost of $4.2 trillion over ten years, a cost that its supporters aim to offset with trillions of dollars in cuts to social safety programs like Medicaid.
“If you're for open borders, this bill is your worst nightmare, because we control the border,” Graham said. “If you want higher taxes, which apparently they do, this bill is your nightmare because we’re going to keep tax cuts low. If you want to have a weak military, this is a bad bill for you because we’re giving the military $150 billion.”
The Senate is expected to debate the OBBBA in a marathon session Monday, with Republicans hopeful for its passage ahead of Trump’s July 4 deadline. With its slim majority, Senate Republicans can afford no more than three defectors in its caucus, with two Senate Republicans having already voted against advancing the bill, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).