Trump's tax bill is on track for vote by end of week

Facts Over Fear: Congressional Republicans' self-imposed Fourth of July deadline to send a massive tax and domestic policy bill to President Trump is still happening....

A lot happened in the last week while I was on vacation but I’m back at it, so expect more regular updates, newsletters and interviews in the coming days and weeks ahead!

FACE OUR FEARS: Don't be distracted. We cannot let his budget pass and watch our rights and entitlements continue to disappear.

There’s a lot happening right now that is distracting us from the reality that this budget bill — if it passes — could harm millions and millions of Americans in a myriad of ways including:

1. Massive cuts to healthcare and food assistance programs, like Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP are still on the table.

   1. Puts farms at risk of shutting down. SNAP not only feeds families; it’s also a direct customer for many of the nation’s farmers. SNAP cuts of this size will cost farmers around $30 billion in lost income and jeopardizes 400,000 jobs.

2. Harm to our public lands by prioritizing oil and gas leasing, including in sensitive areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as weakening environmental regulations and expediting the approval process for more drilling and mining projects.

3. There are major concerns about the bill's impact on public education, potentially diverting funds to private schools through voucher programs which will increase inequities in our school system.

4. Prioritizing tax cuts for high-income earners and corporations, potentially exacerbating income inequality, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

   1. This includes more wealth for the wealthy, lower incomes for the poorest. The tax changes in the House budget bill will, on average, take $700 a year away from households making less than $51,000 and $1,000 from those making less than $17,000. Meanwhile, the top 0.1% of households (making $4.3 million or more) will gain $389,000. This is totally unnecessary and incredibly dangerous as people struggle to survive.

5. Reduced Support for State and Local Public Health: A significant portion of CDC funding typically goes to state and local health departments. The proposed budget could sharply reduce this funding, with at least $1 billion redirected to the AHA.

6. Significant funding increases for immigration enforcement agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are proposed, potentially representing the single biggest increase in funding for immigration enforcement in US history. This increased funding could be used to:

   1. Expand detention capacity, with billions allocated for new detention centers.

   2. Ramp up mass deportation operations, potentially to a level never before seen in American history.

This is just a small portion of what is in this massive bill.

The bill continues and expands tax breaks set to expire after 2025, and similar provisions in the House version of the bill were estimated to increase the deficit by around $3.8 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. (NBC News)

What do you think of this?

How are they passing this so quickly?

According to Food and Water Watch: Congressional Republicans are using the budget reconciliation process to fast-track this legislation. It’s available once a fiscal year for certain fiscal-related measures. And while most laws require votes from 60 out of 100 Senators to pass because of the filibuster, a reconciliation bill requires a simple majority, 51 out of 100.

REALITY CHECK: This makes it easier to pass now without Democrats’ support.

Some of the lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene haven’t even READ the 1,100 page bill they are about to vote on… which is alarming to say the least. Trump wants it voted on before July 4, threatening like a cranky dad to withhold vacation from lawmakers.

"NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT'S DONE," he wrote on Truth Social.

According to CBS News: The last scheduled day in session for both chambers before they leave town for the holiday is this Friday, leaving them with little time to reach their goal.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met with Senate Republicans Tuesday, told reporters after the meeting that they're "on track" for a vote Friday on the bill, adding that he expects it can get to the president's desk by July 4.

I know there is a lot happening in the world right now. I know that the powers that be are trying to distract us and keep us divided. But the reality is, unless you are an Elon Musk of the world, this budget bill will cause great harm to you, your loved ones, our communities and our environment. It will create horrific ripples for generations to come.

It is long overdue that we reimagine a world in which policies that support the people are centered — instead of billionaires’ wallets. No matter your political affiliation, we need to contact our representatives and send a clear message that if they don’t vote AGAINST this bill (which also weakens voting rights), then we will VOTE THEM OUT.

To contact your legislators:

VISIT THIS LINK . Remind them that they work for the people and represent our interests and not those of global corporations or the uber wealthy.

United the people can never be defeated.

Thank you for being a part of my growing community on Substack. I’m truly grateful to everyone who subscribes (2,648 as of this post!) and to my paid subscribers, a special shout-out to you.

Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other.

In solidarity,
Natalie