Big Beautiful Bill winners and losers
The U.S. Senate has approved President Trump's “big beautiful bill” – which could add at least $3.3 trillion to the national debt – and will now be sent to the House of Representatives where deep divisions remain
WINNERS
SENATE RECONCILIATION BILL 2026-34
LOSERS
Wealthy
$3.8 trillion in tax cuts for wealthy from Trump’s first term in 2017 to become permanent
Tips and overtime
Untaxed, capped at $25,000 benefitting 2.4 million workers
Defence
$150bn new spending
Border security
$175bn new spending
Rural hospitals
$50bn fund to mitigate cuts in Medicaid
Fossil fuel industry
At least four new oil and gas leases on public lands, tax credit for met coal production – exported for foreign steelmaking

Medicaid
Almost $1 trillion cut, largest ever, but 11.8m more people will be uninsured by 2034
SNAP (food stamps)
Total cost $115bn, used by 42 million people. New work requirements for recipients, some states to cover part of costs (Alaska and Hawaii exempt)
Social Security
Trust fund runs out in 2033, lower tax revenue vmay mean benefits cannot be paid
Clean energy
Tax credits, including for wind and solar, and $7,500 subsidy for electric vehicles – worth over $12bn to Tesla – removed
Household energy bills could rise $400 by 2029

NET CHANGE IN INCOME
Tax
SNAP
Medicaid
-2%
+2%0
-0.6%
-0.4%
-0.4%
+2.7%
+2.3%
-0.2%
+2.2%
-1.1%
-0.5%
+1.5%
-1.8%
-0.8%
+0.3%
Top 20% earners
60-80%
40-60%
20-40%
Lowest 20%
Average +$6,056 for those with income above $120,390. Top 0.1% earning over $3 million to gain $118,630
-$560 for those below $13,350

EXPANDING DEFICIT
$3.3 trillion
$3.9tn
$5.3tn
plus interest payments
minus lost tax*
*reduced tax on tips over 10 years intead of four
Sources: The Conversation, Budget Lab
© GRAPHIC NEWS