June Monthly Column: One Big Beautiful Bill

Over the past few months, Congress has been singularly focused on passing President Trump’s aptly named “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This reconciliation bill has a little bit of everything – it cuts taxes, funds the border wall and our great military, supports our farmers, and gets rid of waste, fraud, and abuse. With the bill now in the Senate, it is especially important that we clear up any misconceptions and show Alabamians back home why the One Big Beautiful Bill is a must-pass piece of legislation.

First of all, this bill will make President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts PERMANENT. Look at what happened last time President Trump cut taxes – the economy boomed, and hard-working Americans took home more money. Americans from all backgrounds, income levels, and industries were thriving and saving for their futures. But if Democrats have their way, these taxes will expire at the end of the year. If we don’t pass this bill, Alabamians’ taxes will go up by 20-30%. It is estimated that a typical Alabama family of four would see an increase of more than $1,700 – about the cost of seven weeks of groceries. Not to mention, when the bill passes, Alabamians are predicted to see an increase in take-home pay from $6,500 to $10,800. The numbers don’t lie, and the clock is ticking.

Our bill also includes NEW tax cuts that put blue collar workers first. These are the popular policies President Trump ran on like No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Tips, and Social Security tax relief for seniors. There are so many Americans who work overtime or multiple jobs just to make ends meet – and they deserve to take home the fruits of their labor. These commonsense tax cuts will uplift the people who need it the most.

Another critical provision included in the Big Beautiful Bill amends the Estate Tax, often referred to as the Death Tax. 95% of Alabama’s farms are family-owned. Sadly, the Death Tax is killing our farmers by forcing them to pay a heavy tax when passing a farm down from generation to generation. This bill gives our family farmers a lifeline by increasing the federal estate exemption threshold to $15 million per individual and $30 million per couple. This means that farmers whose farms are worth less than $15 million wouldn’t have to pay this burdensome tax when passing their farms down to their kids. Without addressing the death tax in reconciliation, the exemption threshold would revert to approximately $5.5 million for individuals and $11 million for couples. Considering how expensive land and equipment are these days, farmers may reach that quickly. This change will ease the financial burden on farmers and incentivize more families to pass down their farms, rather than shutting them down.

We can’t just cut taxes without also addressing our spending problem. We are $37 trillion in debt and are spending $2 trillion more than we bring in every year – if we keep doing that, we aren’t going to make it. This bill takes important steps to address waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. For example, it gets rid of some of the woke climate regulations passed under the Biden administration that do nothing to help the environment and have crushed American small businesses and families. It also makes important reforms to Medicaid, which will ensure that illegal immigrants aren’t stealing benefits from Americans and preserve the program for Alabamians who need it most. Don’t believe the media’s spin on this – we are not cutting Medicaid. We are cutting abuse of Medicaid by people who aren’t eligible for the program. Like I said, this bill isn’t perfect. There are more cuts to be made, and thankfully, the White House and Congress are already working together to save even more taxpayer dollars down the line. Give it a few months, and we’ll have another reconciliation bill, which will address more waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

The fearmongering on this bill has to stop. Last time President Trump delivered tax cuts, America experienced an economic revival. Democrats remember this – and that’s why they are doing whatever they can to stop this bill dead in its tracks. But the American people voted for every part of President Trump’s agenda, including the tax cuts, and Republicans have to deliver. I will not stop fighting until we deliver these wins for President Trump and for Alabama.