In a dramatic early morning vote, West Virginia’s Republican Representatives Riley Moore and Carol Miller threw their full support behind former President Donald Trump’s ambitious “One Big Beautiful Bill,” helping it narrowly pass the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill, officially titled H.R. 1 — the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — passed by the slimmest of margins, 215-214-1, just before 7 a.m. Thursday. The close vote came after an intense day of negotiations led by House Speaker Mike Johnson and White House officials, aimed at swaying members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
President Trump praised the bill on social media, calling it “arguably the most significant piece of legislation that will ever be signed in the history of our country.”
The legislation, a sweeping reconciliation package, aims to lock in several Republican priorities. Chief among them is the continuation of the 2017 Trump-era tax cuts, which were set to expire at the end of 2025.
The bill also proposes nearly $1.5 trillion in spending cuts through methods such as stricter work requirements for Medicaid recipients and the repeal of green energy tax credits established by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Congressman Moore, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, hailed the bill as a landmark win for conservative fiscal policy.
“Seventy-seven million Americans demanded generational change in November,” Moore said. “Our One Big Beautiful Bill delivers major victories for the American people.”
Congresswoman Miller, serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, also voiced her strong support during a floor speech.
“This One Big Beautiful Bill builds on the success of the 2017 Trump tax cuts and goes even further,” she said. “We’ve heard from real Americans who benefited from those cuts, and we’re here to make sure that continues.”
The bill also features provisions to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay, allow deductions for car loan interest, and expand the child tax credit. It boosts funding for border security, raises ICE and Border Patrol budgets, includes a new missile defense system, and lifts the debt ceiling.
Moore championed these additions during a 2 a.m. floor speech. “We are making America energy dominant again,” he declared, citing the bill’s repeal of climate initiatives and support for coal, oil, and natural gas industries.
However, the bill has not been without controversy. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation could increase the national debt by $2.3 trillion over the next decade. Critics argue that spending cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could leave thousands of low-income Americans without crucial support.
“Despite the pain tens of thousands of West Virginia families will face, the cuts to critical programs only partially offset massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest,” said Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy. “These cuts are deeply unpopular and will have lasting consequences.”
West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin echoed those concerns, criticizing the speed and secrecy of the vote.
“In the West Virginia Legislature, we say ‘fat possums run at midnight.’ That’s exactly what happened here,” Pushkin said. “Moore and Miller pushed through a bill that hurts working families while the country was asleep.”
Now, the bill heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to undergo changes. The reconciliation process allows the bill to pass with a simple majority, avoiding the usual 60-vote requirement. But some Republican priorities could be removed due to Senate rules.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who chairs a key subcommittee on appropriations, praised the bill’s core ideas but acknowledged it’s not perfect.
“I’m excited about what I see,” Capito said. “But the Senate process will ensure we protect West Virginians’ Medicaid and SNAP benefits.”
Lawmakers aim to finalize the package by July 4, with a looming mid-July debt ceiling deadline. If the bill fails, Congress may need to pass a separate debt ceiling measure to avoid default.
As the bill advances, both supporters and critics brace for what could become a defining legislative battle heading into the 2024 election season.
