According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill would reduce annual resources for the poorest 10% of households by $1,600, while increasing resources for the wealthiest 10% by $12,000. It also includes a permanent expansion of the estate tax exemption to $30 million per couple, up from the scheduled 2025 reversion to $14 million.
Critics warn the legislation could result in over 51,000 preventable deaths annually due to healthcare cuts, while supporters argue it averts a looming tax hike and bolsters national security. With floor debate imminent, lawmakers face mounting pressure to finalize amendments before the July 4th recess.
The “Big and Ugly Bill” is facing a wall of public resistance across the political spectrum. According to multiple polls, fewer than 30% of voters support the bill, with disapproval rates soaring as high as 64% in some surveys. Even among Republicans, support is fractured—while MAGA-aligned voters back it, a majority of non-MAGA Republicans and independents oppose it.
The reasons? The bill’s sweeping cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, paired with massive tax breaks for the wealthy, have been described as one of the most extreme upward transfers of wealth in modern U.S. history. Analysts estimate it could lead to over 51,000 preventable deaths annually due to healthcare reductions. Meanwhile, the richest Americans stand to gain an average $390,000 in after-tax income, while the poorest households could lose $820 per year.
Protests have erupted at the Capitol, and even some Republican senators are warning of political blowback -- especially in rural areas where hospital closures could be devastating. With floor debate looming, the bill’s unpopularity is becoming a central obstacle to its passage.