# So what does the 4.5 trillion dollar house bill actually mean

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-the-4-5-trillion-dollar-house-bill-actually-mean/1014852>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [February 27, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-the-4-5-trillion-dollar-house-bill-actually-mean/1014852 "2025-02-27T01:20:16Z")\
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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-the-4-5-trillion-dollar-house-bill-actually-mean/1014852/1 "2025-02-27T01:20:16Z")

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So the house passed a bill 217-215 that can cut taxes by up to 4.5 trillion and cut spending by up to 2 trillion over the next 10 years. My understanding is those numbers are dependent, so if they can only find 1 trillion to cut, they can only cut 3.5 trillion in taxes.

> **[US House narrowly passes Trump-backed spending bill](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9yx7e13ryo)**
>
> It is still several steps from becoming law, but marks a major victory for Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson.

However its also my impression that there is nothing actually in the bill, its just numbers. The GOP can cut taxes for whoever they want or cut whatever taxes they want, and they can cut spending wherever they want. Is that correct? So right now they could cut corporate taxes and income taxes, or they could cut some other taxes (but realistically they’re going to cut taxes for the rich and the powerful). Meanwhile they can cut 2 trillion in spending from whatever they want. Is all that correct?

Its also my understanding that extending the 2017 tax cuts alone will cost an extra 4 trillion dollars. So wouldn’t that mean that simply extending the 2017 tax cuts would mean the GOP couldn’t really enact new tax cuts, just keep the ones that currently exist? Its my impression that just keeping the 2017 Trump tax cuts will cost 4 trillion in 10 years, which means the GOP can either repeal the 2017 tax cuts and enact new tax cuts, or just extend the 2017 tax cuts. Or extend some of the 2017 tax cuts but not others.

Also aren’t the GOP trying to increase spending for things like immigration enforcement, if so how would that fit into the bill since this bill is supposed to be about spending cuts and tax cuts?

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