Nebraska’s federal delegation discusses support of the 'Big Beautiful Bill'

Now that Congress has passed what President Donald Trump calls the “One Big Beautiful Bill” on taxes and spending, some Nebraska legislators are defending their vote to support it. All of Nebraska’s federal delegation voted in support.

Second Congressional District Representative Don Bacon discussed it at his town hall this week.

“I just think there's a lot of goodness in this bill, and we worked hard to make sure we protect the most needy, whether it's Medicaid or SNAP,” Bacon said about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The bill increases tax cuts, decreases federal program spending on some programs like Medicaid, and raises the debt limit, among other provisions. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts echoed Bacon by saying he thinks the legislation will benefit Nebraskans by lowering taxes, although he said he did compromise on some provisions.

“There's not going to be a perfect bill,” he said. “On balance, with all the great things in this bill, I wanted to vote for it because it's going to be a generational bill that will really help us grow the economy.”

Ricketts added he would have wanted a higher tax credit for donations to scholarship-granting organizations that help K-12 students access educational opportunities. That tax credit is $1,700 in the new bill. He also wanted to defund Planned Parenthood for more than the one year the bill allows.

Bacon said he worked “a lot of different friction points,” including not wanting the federal match for Medicaid lowered.

Sen. Deb Fischer, District 1 Congressman Mike Flood and District 3 Congressman Adrian Smith also voted in support of the bill.

“The One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers. It reflects Nebraskan values — strong defense, smart spending, and support for those who serve. With this law, we are taking national security seriously and building a safer, more secure future for all Americans,” Fischer said in a written statement.

Flood applauded the agricultural aspects the bill addresses, such as adding billions of dollars to the Farm Bill. In a joint op-ed, Bacon, Flood and Smith applauded the changes to Medicaid, SNAP and the tax cuts, as well as designating billions of dollars toward agencies that enforce immigration laws, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Some parts of the bill immediately went into effect upon being signed into law, while others will take effect in the 2026 tax year.