(The Epoch Times)—Democrats are signaling plans to make the One Big Beautiful Bill Act endorsed by President Donald Trump a central focus of their push to reclaim the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the party’s House campaign arm, said in a July 1 memo that political messaging from now until the 2026 election will emphasize what it sees as the harmful effects of the bill, which the DCCC has dubbed the “Big, Ugly Bill.”
“In May, we told you a vote for the Big, Ugly Bill would be the defining contrast of the midterm election and cost Republicans the House majority,” the memo stated. “House Republicans didn’t just pass their Tax Scam once – they’re being forced by their D.C. Party Bosses to double down and vote for it again, pushing through a disgusting abomination that will hurt everyday Americans to give massive tax breaks to billionaires.”
After clearing the Senate in a dramatic 51–50 vote on July 1 in which Vice President JD Vance broke the tie, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act now heads back to the House, where Republicans are seeking to pass it and send it to the president’s desk for his signature ahead of a self-imposed July 4 deadline.
Trump, speaking after the Senate vote, said he expects the bill to advance smoothly in the House. Previously, he called it “one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of our country,” praising it for provisions that “secure our borders, turbocharge our economy, and bring back the American dream.”
Democrats have sharply criticized the legislation, saying it would cut services for working families, such as health care and food assistance, while delivering tax benefits to the wealthy. The DCCC said it plans to hammer this message as part of its strategy to unseat vulnerable Republicans in next year’s elections.
“From now until November 2026, the DCCC will continue to communicate the harm this bill will cause, uplift stories of the everyday Americans negatively impacted, and mobilize voters through traditional and non-traditional organizing tactics, earned media, and paid communications in order to hold vulnerable Republicans accountable for abandoning their central promise to voters,” the DCCC said in the memo.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the GOP’s campaign arm for House races, rebutted the DCCC’s description of the bill.
“The One Big, Beautiful Bill is a big, beautiful opportunity to show how Republicans are delivering results and Democrats are once again increasing taxes on hardworking Americans and putting politics over people,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “We won’t let voters forget Democrats’ betrayal next fall.”
Marinella also pointed to internal GOP polling showing strong public support for key provisions in the bill, including efforts to remove deceased or ineligible recipients from Medicaid rolls (86 percent support), require citizenship verification for Medicaid eligibility (82 percent), and impose work requirements (72 percent). He cited battleground polling indicating that 82 percent of voters would be less likely to support a Democrat who voted for tax increase that Republicans say amounts to more than $3,000 per year for the average household.
Republicans say that Democrats, by opposing the One Big Beautiful Bill, are effectively seeking to raise taxes on Americans, since Trump’s 2017 tax cuts are set to expire at the end of 2025 without further action.
GOP leaders say that extending those tax cuts is crucial to sustaining economic growth, shielding middle-class families from higher taxes, and maintaining U.S. business competitiveness. They also say the bill’s provisions on border security and defense spending are essential for national security, dismissing Democratic criticisms as partisan fear-mongering.
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders in both chambers have echoed the DCCC’s critique of the bill.
“Senate Republicans just passed Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on social media. “The extreme GOP budget hurts everyday Americans and rewards their billionaire donors. House Democrats will fight on with every righteous tool we have available.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and the House Republican leadership team have voiced optimism that the House will pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ahead of the July 4 deadline.
The House is scheduled to vote on the legislation on July 2.
