Kentucky lawmakers react to Senate passing what Beshear calls the ‘big, ugly bill’

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — The Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” leaving Vice President JD Vance to make the rare tiebreaking vote.

Now the bill will return to the House where it passed by one vote. What’s become known as Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” includes a permanent extension to the 2017 tax cuts, no taxes on tips, and $350 billion for border security.

Gov. Andy Beshear spoke out against the bill on Tuesday afternoon. He said he fears it’ll be detrimental to Kentuckians.

“With the passage of the ‘big, ugly bill,’ the U.S. Senate said it was okay to fire 20,000 Kentucky health-care workers, close 35 rural hospitals in our state and throw over 200,000 of our people off insurance,” Beshear wrote. “This ain’t right, and we’re going to keep raising our voice and standing up for our Kentucky families, who deserve better.”

On the other end of the aisle, Sen. Mitch McConnell released a statement celebrating the bill’s passage, stating the vote prevented “the largest tax hike in American history.”

“The American people sent President Trump and Republican majorities to Washington with a clear mandate: secure the border, restore peace through strength and American energy dominance, and give working families and small businesses relief from the Biden economy,” McConnell said. “Our votes today are a step toward fulfilling that duty. We’re bolstering border security, investing in programs that assist our farmers, raising take-home pay for working Kentuckians, and preventing the largest tax hike in American history.”