House wins over skeptics, passes Senate version of ‘big, beautiful bill’

Georgia’s delegation split strictly along party lines with all nine Republicans in support of the bill and all five Democrats against.

Clyde, R-Athens, was among the group of Republican lawmakers who withheld their support throughout Wednesday and into the early hours of Thursday, refusing to participate in procedural votes and making it difficult for the legislation to advance to a final vote.

Clyde, a gun shop owner, had been angered by the Senate parliamentarian’s decision to strike language he had inserted into the package ending a federal registry for silencers and certain types of firearms. He lobbied to have that language restored, but House leaders resisted, not wanting the bill to bounce back to the Senate for another vote.

The bill does remove a $200 tax on the purchase of gun silencers, short-barrel shotguns and other types of firearms. After meeting with Trump at the White House, Clyde said he decided to support the bill because he felt confident the president understood his concerns and was committed to finding other ways to eliminate the registry.

“The tax is a huge win because it’s the foundation,” he said. “I tried everything I could to get the registry in there, but once you come to the end of your options, I’m not going to give up what I consider the larger of the two wins.”

Clyde said he hopes to continue his effort to repeal the National Firearms Act of 1934, which he considers a violation of the Second Amendment, when the House begins working on a second reconciliation bill Trump and Johnson have indicated they want to pursue.

He and other members of the House Freedom Caucus were also unhappy that the Senate bill gave businesses more time to take advantage of clean energy tax credits and grew the national deficit by roughly $1 trillion more than the version passed by the House in May.

But Clyde said he decided to support the legislation Thursday because he agreed with most of the other language in the bill and wanted to help Trump fulfill his “America First” agenda.

The bill would extend the tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term in office and create new exemptions or tax cuts for tipped employees and older Americans, fulfilling promises leading into his second term. There is also increased funding for immigration enforcement.

That new spending is offset by reductions in how much the federal government will spend in the future on Medicaid, food assistance programs and health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

By passing the bill Thursday, the House is meeting Trump’s deadline of getting the bill passed by both chambers ahead of the July Fourth holiday. He is likely to sign the legislation into law Friday.

Democrats believe the bill will have devastating political impacts for Republicans leading into the 2026 midterms, given how unpopular it is among American voters.

They highlighted the new work and verification requirements for Medicaid and elimination of Affordable Care Act tax credits that could cause about 310,000 Georgians to lose health insurance. That could increase the number of uninsured people showing up at hospital emergency rooms in Georgia.

Those changes will be coupled with limitations on the provider taxes paid by hospitals to earn more Medicaid dollars. One study concluded that as many as four rural hospitals in Georgia could cut services or shutter completely as a result.

Requirements that states begin shouldering a portion of the costs of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could require Georgia to come up with about $500 million by 2029 or find ways to reduce overall program costs, which could kick thousands of people off the food stamps rolls when coupled with new work requirements.

Republicans were more likely to focus on the tax cuts, saying workers at all income levels would see benefits and the additional money in their pocket would boost the economy. But the Congressional Budget Office found that wealthy Americans would benefit most from the tax breaks.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for nearly nine hours ahead of the final vote, setting a record for a House floor speech as he railed against the legislation.

The New Yorker highlighted what he said would be its negative impacts in districts represented by vulnerable House members up for reelection in 2026. He ended his speech by referencing the memory of late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, whom Jeffries said left Democrats a blueprint for remaining hopeful and optimistic in the face of political headwinds.

“Standing on the shoulders of John Lewis, that’s our struggle,” he said. “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get into good trouble, necessary trouble.”

How members of Georgia’s U.S. House delegation voted on the Senate version of the reconciliation bill, H.R. 1

“Yes”

U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Augusta

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island

U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome

U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, R-Peachtree City

U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville

U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton

“No”

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta

U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta

U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta

This story has been updated to reflect when President Donald Trump is expected to sign the reconciliation bill.