June 27

Written By DSEANTE PARKS

All eyes are on the budget reconciliation package President Trump refers to as "One Big Beautiful Bill," so we are bringing you another special edition to breakdown what's in the latest version. 

This week in MORE POWER:

Planet? Pass.
Pantry Politics
Coverage? Conditional.
Wealth Gap Goals
No Ceilings

Planet? Pass.

Senate Republicans are scrambling to finalize their massive tax and spending bill before the July 4 recess, but major hurdles remain. Things are shifting as negotiations are underway and public pressure is certainly adding to the tension on the Hill. This week, there was a public outcry about the bill including the sale of over 2 million acres of public lands. In response, several Republican senators said they would not vote for it, likely leading to the removal of that policy from the final bill. Still, the latest version of the bill cancels clean-energy tax credits created under the Inflation Reduction Act, including incentives for electric vehicles, solar, wind, and green fuels. Supporters call it a reset. Critics call it a giveaway to fossil fuels.

Pantry Politics

The bill makes sweeping changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, and other food-related policies. The bill includes what experts call the deepest federal cuts to SNAP in U.S. history, aiming to shift tens of billions of dollars in benefit and administrative costs to the states. It eliminates broad-based categorical eligibility, which currently allows households to qualify for SNAP based on deductions like utility and childcare expenses, and imposes stricter work requirements—mandating at least 80 hours per month of work or community service for able-bodied adults without dependents. The bill also restricts eligibility for certain immigrant groups, cutting off access to food assistance for many refugees, asylees, and longtime lawful residents. While the bill extends some agricultural programs, including food bank support and research funding, the core SNAP provisions would likely result in more than 3 million people losing access to food aid. State leaders in 23 states have warned the changes would force impossible budget trade-offs and increase hunger across the country.

Coverage? Conditional.

The bill makes cuts to Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that provides health insurance to low-income individuals and families, including children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. The bill imposes new federal work requirements beginning in 2026 for able-bodied adults, even in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. It also adds significant red tape by requiring more frequent eligibility checks, shortening retroactive coverage from 90 to 30 days, and introducing new copays. States would face strict new limits on provider taxes, which many use to finance their share of Medicaid spending. The bill also bans federal Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care, abortion providers, and undocumented immigrants. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the changes could lead to over 7 million people losing Medicaid coverage by 2034. On June 26, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that some of these key Medicaid provisions couldn't move forward under the reconciliation process, further complicating things for Republicans who are trying to pass the bill by July 4.

Wealth Gap Goals

The SALT cap is a limit on how much taxpayers can deduct in state and local taxes (SALT)—like income, property, and sales taxes—on their federal income tax return. It mostly impacts higher income households in states with high property taxes. Senate Republicans are proposing using this bill to raise it to $40,000 for five years for households earning up to $500,000, before reverting to the $10,000 cap—a major walk-back from the House’s permanent version. Blue-state Republicans also secured the removal of a Senate plan to limit SALT deductions for pass-through businesses, a win for their business-owning constituents and a relief for industry groups. But the deal carries political risks: it’s temporary, not permanent as promised. It's facing backlash in the House with Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) calling it unacceptable and vowing to vote no.

No Ceilings

The bill proposes to increase the federal debt ceiling, which is the amount of money the government can borrow to pay its bills, $4 trillion. This would avoid a government default in the short term and ensure government operations continue, including things like Social Security checks and military pay. But it also means the government is taking on a lot more debt, which could lead to bigger problems down the road if spending isn’t brought under control.

Bills Congress Passed

Nothing.

Nothing.

What The President Signed Into Law

Nothing.

You made it through another one!

DSEANTE PARKS
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June 20