President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed the Senate early Tuesday, despite more than a day of opposition by Senate Democrats.
Hawai‘i's senators, Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, joined the Senate’s other 45 Democrats — and three Republicans — in voting against the bill, which ultimately only passed a deadlock after Vice President J.D. Vance cast a vote to break the tie.
Hirono later made a statement to Aloha State Daily, calling the bill “a big ugly betrayal of the American people.”
“It will rip access to health care, food, education, energy savings, and more from millions of Americans, all to pay for giveaways for millionaires and billionaires,” Hirono said. “While billionaires will gain, this bill is 1,000 pages of pain for hardworking families in Hawai‘i and across our country. While Republicans are hellbent on doing Trump’s bidding — regardless of the consequences for their constituents — Democrats will do everything we can to protect the programs Americans rely on.
“The fight goes on,” Hirono concluded.
Hirono’s comment echoes language used by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who invoked Senate rules to strike the name of the bill before it passed — the bill is now technically nameless. Schumer later called the bill “the big ugly betrayal.”
Schatz spoke on the Senate floor Monday — amid a long day of constant proposed amendments — warning that the bill will kneecap the renewable energy industry by cutting 300,000 jobs in wind and solar energy per year.
“Because of that, we’re going to generate about 500 gigawatts less energy in the next decade,” Schatz said, adding that the bill will create energy shortages and increase energy prices by establishing “impossible” 60-day deadlines for projects to claim clean energy tax credits.
“The idea that we’re going to kill the only energy that can be brought online in the short run the very same week that half the country was melting in a record heat wave which has left tens of thousands without power is beyond absurd,” Schatz said.
The vast bill will, if passed, impose broad cuts to health care and nutrition programs, increase the national debt ceiling, expand the child tax credit, and much more. Opponents have said the bill will strip millions of U.S. citizens of health care and food stamps all for a paltry increase to their annual tax benefit.
However, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance claims that households making less than $50,000 annually will receive the greatest proportional tax benefits.
An analysis by the bipartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that people making between $15,000 and $30,000 annually will see the largest proportional tax cut, with their federal tax burden reduced by 27%.
The bill now goes back before the House for final deliberation. If the House passes it, it will go to the president’s desk.
Trump has urged House Republicans pass the bill so he can sign it by July 4.
