What Congress Did Today: Taxes, Medicaid, and the Bill Everyone’s Watching

Inside the votes, cuts, and agency actions that could hit your wallet, health, and hometown.

June 26, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

🔥 TOP STORY

Congress heats up ahead of July 4th: A mega tax‑spending hybrid known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is facing critical hurdles in the Senate—with potential impacts on your paycheck, healthcare, and the economy.

🏛️ 1. One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1)

What’s new: Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has stripped out multiple controversial provisions, including:

  • Proposed Medicaid cuts

  • A federal block on gender-affirming care

  • A state-level AI restriction proposal

Why this matters:

  • If you’re on Medicaid, proposed cuts could have affected millions of low-income families.

  • Removing non-budget items shows that even partisan bills must stick to legal guardrails.

  • The bill’s future is now uncertain, and the Senate GOP is divided.

💬 Treasury Secretary Bessent warned that a “retaliatory investor tax” in the bill could trigger economic pushback and market instability.

🧾 2. House Vote: Special Interest Alien Reporting Act (H.R. 275)

Result: Passed 231–182 in the House today.

What it does:

  • Requires monthly reports from DHS about “special interest aliens” encountered at the border.

  • Aims to increase transparency on immigration and national security threats.

📝 Source: Roll Call – House Votes

Why this matters:

  • Could shape future immigration debates and media narratives.

  • Critics say the language could be used for political targeting of asylum seekers.

💰 3. FY 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill

Status: Approved by House Appropriations Committee in a 34–28 vote.

Spending: $6.7 billion to fund:

  • Congress operations

  • Capitol Police

  • Office of Congressional Ethics

  • Architect of the Capitol

📝 Source: Appropriations.House.gov

Why this matters:

  • These are the people who keep your government running.

  • Includes cuts to last year’s budget, signaling a renewed focus on fiscal restraint.

  • Some Dems opposed it due to the exclusion of diversity office funding.

📊 4. Economy & What’s Coming Tomorrow

  • Treasury Secretary Bessent is calling on Republicans to drop a 20% investor tax that’s still in the bill — warning it could hurt foreign investment and slow the economy.
    📝 Source: Reuters

  • Tomorrow:

    • House floor vote expected on the Rescissions Act, which would cut public media funding — including NPR, PBS, and local affiliates.
      📝 More: WOUB Public Media

    • Senate briefing on Trump’s Iran airstrike may lead to a vote on war-powers limits.

🧠 Why This Matters to You

Topic

What’s at Stake

🏥 Healthcare

Medicaid cuts could have hit millions, but were blocked (for now).

💸 Economy

A controversial tax may affect investments, jobs, and inflation.

🗳️ Politics

Border security & immigration reporting could shape 2026 races.

🏛️ Oversight

Congressional funding ensures democracy functions — but cuts have consequences.

💬 Share the Facts

Forward this email to a friend who wants real updates about what the government actually did today — not just what people argue about online.

🕗 See you tomorrow at 8 PM.
– The Bills, Votes & Acts Team

What It All Means – And Why You Should Share It

Final Takeaway

Today’s edition shows how much can shift in just one day:

  • A massive bill with real effects on your healthcare and economy is being reshaped in the Senate.

  • Congress just passed a bill that may change how immigration is reported.

  • And funding decisions are being made that could impact how democracy functions behind the scenes.

These aren’t just headlines — they’re decisions that affect your life, your city, your future.