NORFOLK, Va. — A bang of the gavel by House Speaker Mike Johnson Thursday marked the moment President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passed in Congress and headed to President Trump's desk to be signed into law.
So, what does that mean for you?
“People need to remember: there’s thousands of things in this bill," Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia), who represents part of Hampton Roads, said on CBS This Morning Thursday.
Watch: Rep. Kiggans discusses lifeguard shortage, voting for the 'Big, Beautiful' bill
She said the bill is not perfect, and there are parts she likes more than others.
“We’ve got 4.8 million Americans who are on Medicaid who shouldn’t be on it," Kiggans said. "Republicans have tried to scale that back a little so that we can strengthen and preserve it for the people who need it. So that’s the part I like.”
On the other side of the aisle, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), who also represents part of Hampton Roads, said in a statement over 322,000 Virginians could lose their health insurance as a result of the bill.
Watch: Rep. Bobby Scott holds Newport News town hall to discuss federal cuts
"This bill is a collection of policies that will harm America’s working families, bestow tax breaks on the wealthy, and significantly increase the national debt," Scott goes on to say in the statement.
In a joint statement, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner (both D-Virginia) slammed the bill.
“With today’s vote, Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are one step closer to passing their bill to explode the debt and kill tens of thousands of jobs and rip health care and nutrition assistance away from hundreds of thousands of people in Virginia alone. Our constituents deserve better than a Congress and President willing to sell out America’s well-being and future to give the ultra-wealthy a tax handout. The consequences of this legislation will be stark—and Americans will know who is to blame.”
In a post on X Thursday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin praised the bill.
The Promises Made, Promises Kept President. Lower taxes for families and small businesses, a secure border, American energy dominance, and rocket fuel for our economy. Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on this one big beautiful bill for America, and thank you @SpeakerJohnson and… https://t.co/EG2k0OdHtq
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) July 3, 2025
The bill also makes cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP, something News 3 talked about with The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
“Six billion meals across the United States from the SNAP changes alone are going to put extra strain on an already-strained food bank. We’re seeing record food insecurity numbers," said Chris Tan, the foodbank's president and CEO.
Watch: Local food banks fearful that "Big, Beautiful Bill" could cut SNAP benefits
He said the foodbank's staff is great at adapting to change, but he also offered a call to action: “There are going to be people that benefit from the bill that has happened, tax-wise and others, and I would just challenge those neighbors to find a way to help the neighbors that maybe didn’t benefit."
Another part of the bill that could have a direct impact in Hampton Roads is the cuts to tax breaks for wind and solar projects.
Watch: Offshore Wind Power on Coast Live
A spokesperson for Dominion Energy tells News 3 this won’t impact the company’s project off the coast of Virginia Beach. News 3 also asked about the impact to future project, but Dominion said there weren't any future projects planned.
Katharine Kollins is the president of the Southeastern Wind Coalition, which advocates for wind energy. She believes the bill will slow down offshore wind projects.
“This is an energy resource that we need. Our grid is demanding more and more energy," Kollins emphasized.
Some in Virginia Beach may see the bill as a win, though. As News 3 has reported, many residents have complained about the Dominion project, citing noise and harm to the environment in the ocean.
