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Trump Pressures Congress as GOP Struggles to Finalize ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ by July 4

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – With just days remaining before the self-imposed Independence Day deadline, Republican leaders in Congress are racing to finalize President Donald Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a legislative package that consolidates tax, energy, immigration, and Medicaid reforms under the budget reconciliation process. Yet the bill remains in jeopardy amid internal GOP divisions.

President Trump has made passage of the legislation a personal priority, urging Senate Republicans in a fiery Truth Social post to “lock yourself in a room if you must” and declaring “NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.” He hopes to sign the bill into law by July 4 as a symbolic gift to Americans on the country’s 250th birthday.

Despite the pressure, Senate Republicans still lack the 50 votes needed to pass the measure, which would require Vice President J.D. Vance to break a tie. Meanwhile, House Republicans are warning they will not accept significant Senate revisions that could threaten the delicate coalition that passed the original bill by just one vote last month.

Conservative Revolt Over Medicaid and “Green New Scam”

Key sticking points include the Senate’s proposal to lower the cap on Medicaid provider taxes in expansion states and its softer phase-out of green energy tax credits from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — which hardliners in the House Freedom Caucus have dubbed “the Green New Scam.”

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), chair of the caucus, said he would vote no on the Senate’s version, warning it “backtracks on House priorities” and “greatly increases the deficit.” Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX), Mark Harris (R-NC), and Eric Burlison (R-MO) also said they would oppose the current draft if sent back unchanged.

The Senate version raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, $1 trillion more than the House-passed measure — a major red flag for budget hawks. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) met with Trump to push for deeper Medicaid cuts focused on protecting “poor kids and people with chronic illness,” while slashing benefits for “able-bodied adults who don’t want to work.”

Moderate Concerns and SALT Deduction Clash

At the same time, moderate Republicans from high-tax states are fighting to preserve a House provision raising the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions. Senators want to narrow the eligibility, prompting five blue-state House Republicans to threaten to oppose any weakening of the deal.

The bill also faces structural hurdles. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has rejected several provisions during the so-called “Byrd bath,” forcing GOP lawmakers to rewrite or remove sections that don’t meet budget reconciliation rules.

Thune and Johnson Push for Unity

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) both insist they are close to a compromise. Thune said he expects “two or three defections” at most and emphasized that “not everybody’s going to get what they want.”

Speaker Johnson urged Republicans to stay united: “There’s no daylight between the House, Senate, and the White House on the ultimate goal.”

But the challenge remains acute. Johnson’s margin in the House is razor-thin, and Thune can’t afford to lose more than three GOP votes in the Senate. While many members are posturing publicly, GOP leaders hope Trump’s aggressive push — and the symbolic power of a July 4 signing — will ultimately unite the party.

As Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) put it, “Everybody’s got to thump their chest a little bit… But at the end of the day, you either vote for growth and reform — or you explain why you didn’t.”

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