Today, the House of Representatives passed President Trump’s tax-and-spending reconciliation bill, known as H.R. 1 or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” following its recent approval in the Senate. The legislation offers $4.5 trillion in tax cuts primarily benefiting the ultra-wealthy, while reducing funding for Medicaid, food assistance, and green-energy programs. It also expands tax breaks and increases defense spending.
Despite these provisions, efforts by postal and federal union members led to the removal of proposals that would have affected retirement security for postal workers from the final version of the bill. Judy Beard, APWU Legislative and Political Director, attributed this success to member activism: “This was a direct result of APWU member activism and shows our collective power.”
Democrats in both chambers opposed the bill unanimously. Some Republicans also joined them, including Senators Thom Tillis (NC), Rand Paul (KY), Susan Collins (ME), and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Thomas Massie (KY-04). Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
APWU President Dimondstein criticized the bill’s benefits to wealthy individuals and industries: “What is dubbed as ‘The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ is beautiful if you are part of the 1%, the fossil fuel industry, or multi-national defense contractors.” He emphasized that it represented a significant transfer of wealth away from working families.
While harmful provisions affecting postal workers were removed from this legislation, Dimondstein urged continued vigilance against other potential threats moving through Congress.
