Democrats called out last-minute changes on the GOP-led “big beautiful” budget bill, some of which baffled lawmakers on the House Rules Committee.
The manager’s amendment allows for alterations to the bill, and Republicans used it to strike language to sell federal lands in Nevada and Utah, change “MAGA” savings accounts for children to “Trump” accounts, and remove a federal requirement that firearm suppressors must be registered.
Democrats were particularly vexed by the “MAGA” savings account change and initially expressed confusion as to what the change entailed. “What does it mean to strike MAGA and insert Trump? What’s that about?” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) said in the Rules Committee meeting before Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) elaborated.
The “MAGA” in “MAGA Account” stands for “money account for growth and advancement,” the amendment language read, not “Make America Great Again.”
Things are getting a bit strange here. Republicans have added a change to rename the MAGA savings account for babies to the Trump trust account pic.twitter.com/jqsqgqw8WZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 22, 2025
“You all would be screaming bloody murder if we named savings accounts after Barack Obama,” Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) said. “Why don’t we call it the Trump Diaper Savings? It could be TDS, because I think the only way you end up with a stupid name like this is if you have TDS,” Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) joked.
Other Democrats were harsher in their assessment of the changes.
“Latest changes to the Tax Scam? 5 full pages dedicated to changing the names of different savings accounts and programs from MAGA to Trump… a pointless adjustment and a clear reminder to everyone of the real priorities of this bill,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) wrote on X.
‘BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’ HANGS IN BALANCE AS HOUSE ALTERATIONS MADE PUBLIC
The Rules Committee has been debating the bill for nearly 20 hours as Democrats offer up hundreds of amendments on legislation that includes over $1.5 trillion in cuts to offset extending Trump’s 2017 tax breaks. Over 100 Democrats testified before the committee.
If the legislation passes the Rules Committee, it will be debated on the House floor for two hours.