MASSIVE TAX BREAK AND SPENDING CUT BILL PASSES: U.S. House Republicans cleared the “big, beautiful bill” for President Donald Trump’s signature Thursday, marking an end to the painstaking months-long negotiations that began just after voters gave the GOP unified control of Washington during last year’s elections. Jennifer Shutt and Ariana Figueroa/Maryland Matters.
- Republicans notched their first major legislative victory of President Donald Trump’s second term Thursday, passing a mammoth tax and immigration bill the GOP hopes will reshape the U.S. economy and unwind many of the Biden administration’s accomplishments. Jacob Bogage and Marianna Sotomayor/The Washington Post.
- It would add more than $3 trillion to the national debt. It now heads to the president to be signed into law. Alicia Parlapiano, Margot Sanger-Katz, Aatish Bhatia and Josh Katz/The New York Times.
- A Republican tax and spending bill headed to President Donald Trump’s desk includes unprecedented Medicaid cuts that could threaten health coverage and services for thousands of rural Marylanders, advocates and elected officials warn. Sapna Bansil/The Baltimore Banner.
- The expansive bill will affect nearly every American, regardless of their stage in life or income level. By Julie Zauzmer Weil, Yasmeen Abutaleb and Jacob Bogage/The Washington Post.
WHY ANDY HARRIS CHANGED HIS MIND ON THE ‘BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: Before the ink was dry on the Senate version of President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” Rep. Andy Harris made clear: He would vote no. Two days later, he voted yes. Ben Mause/The Baltimore Sun.
HOW EVERY HOUSE MEMBER VOTED ON TRUMP’S BIG TAX BILL: The House passed President Donald Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill in a 218-214 vote Thursday, one day before the Republicans’ self-imposed July 4 deadline. Hannah Dormido, Szu Yu Chen and Nick Mourtoupalas/The Washington Post.
SNAP CUTS COULD THREATEN SUN BUCKS PROGRAM: Maryland distributed more than $23 million at the end of June to help the families of more than a half-million low-income children afford food this summer while school is out. Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
B’MORE OFFICIALS CALL FOR MORE ACTION TO REDUCE ENERGY BILLS: The Maryland General Assembly spent countless hours on energy reform this session, and emerged with a package of bills aimed at lowering customer costs. But bills are still rising — and not only because of summer heatwaves — and a group of Baltimore policymakers and advocates called for more to be done Thursday. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.
B’MORE’S PLAN TO REDUCE DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS BY NEARLY HALF: A year after Baltimore scored a windfall of new money from settlements with drug companies, leaders unveiled a draft plan this week to chart a course for how the city plans to tackle substance use for the next two years, with a goal of reducing overdose deaths by 40% by 2040. Emily Opilo and Alissa Zhu/The Baltimore Banner.
EIGHT SHERIFF’S OFFICES PARTNER WITH ICE: In June, another Maryland county joined an Immigration and Customs Enforcement program that would allow local officers to carry out some of the federal agency’s work, bringing the number of participating counties up to eight. Racquel Bazos/The Baltimore Sun.
B’MORE COURTS TIGHTEN LAW ENFORCEMENT CHECKS: Law enforcement officers entering the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse, Elijah E. Cummings Courthouse and Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center on official business must first check in with the sheriff’s office, identify themselves and disclose the purpose of their visit, according to a new administrative order. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner.
MO CO TEACHERS UNION TO ENDORSE 2026 CANDIDATES: The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) is expediting its timeline for endorsements for the 2026 gubernatorial election and expects to release its recommendations on its “Apple Ballot” in December, the county teachers union announced Wednesday. Ashlyn Campbell/Bethesda Today.
