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Trump gathers for a White House picnic to put pen to paper on the tax and budget legislation, captured in snapshots.

At the Fourth of July White House festivities, President Donald Trump marked the passage of a significant tax and budget legislation, lauding its approval by the Republican-controlled Congress.

Trump, in a White House gathering, puts signature on tax and budget legislation, as captured in...
Trump, in a White House gathering, puts signature on tax and budget legislation, as captured in photographs

Trump gathers for a White House picnic to put pen to paper on the tax and budget legislation, captured in snapshots.

On the Fourth of July, President Donald Trump signed a significant tax and spending bill at a White House picnic, marking a momentous occasion in American politics. The bill, which extended most of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, made many of the tax cuts permanent rather than temporary.

Accompanying the tax provisions, the bill increased spending on border security, defense, and energy production. However, these tax cuts and spending increases were partially funded by significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs, specifically Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reducing funding by about $1.2 trillion. These healthcare and nutrition cuts raised concerns about millions potentially losing health insurance coverage.

The bill was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to add approximately $3.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade, a figure that was disputed by Republicans and the White House.

The Senate Republicans used a budget reconciliation procedure to pass the bill with a simple majority, limiting the provisions that could be included. Initially considered measures, like selling public lands or pausing AI regulations, were removed before final passage.

Meanwhile, in Texas, rescuers were searching the devastated landscape, with 27 girls reported missing following severe floods that have resulted in at least 51 deaths.

This news was captured in a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors, featuring images of protests and celebrations marking a different Fourth of July for many Americans. Notable figures in the gallery included Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who made herself heard in a notable manner.

The bill-signing ceremony took place at the White House, with President Trump celebrating its passage. The event was a picnic, held in Washington, D.C. This major legislative package cemented Trump's 2017 tax cuts into law permanently, while reallocating federal spending priorities and substantially increasing the national deficit.

[1] Congressional Budget Office, "Cost Estimate: H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," 16 November 2017,

The tax and spending bill signed by President Trump on the Fourth of July, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, included policy-and-legislation changes regarding tax cuts and spending increases. These changes were significant in Seattle's general-news discussions, as the bill affected several federal programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

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