Natalia Denegri: Let us keep what we earn — why the Senate must pass the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

I’ve worn many hats in my life — actress, film producer, journalist — but none has taught me more about the American Dream than building a business from the ground up. The long hours, the narrow margins, the constant uncertainty — these are the realities for every entrepreneur who’s ever turned on the lights before dawn and locked the doors after midnight.

We don’t ask for much — just a fair shot.

A system that rewards hard work, not punishes it.

That’s why I’m urging the Senate to pass President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”

For business owners like me — and for the millions of servers, cooks, dishwashers, and delivery drivers who keep our industry alive — this bill is more than just tax reform. It’s a recognition that we matter.

One of the bill’s most powerful provisions ends federal income taxes on tips. If you’ve ever waited tables, you know that tips aren’t a luxury. They’re rent. They’re groceries. They’re school supplies for your kids. Yet for years, tipped workers have been taxed on income they have to hustle for — every night, every shift, every customer. This bill changes that. It brings dignity and fairness back to the equation. And for a single mom bringing home $150 in tips a night, it means thousands more a year that she can finally keep.

The restaurant industry is one of the largest employers in America. Nearly one in four workers in our field is Hispanic. Many of us came to this country with nothing but a dream and a work ethic — and found opportunity in the kitchen or behind the counter. Eliminating the tax on tips is a game-changer for this community. It rewards the very people who represent the heart of the American workforce.

And I know this firsthand. As the co-owner of a restaurant, I’ve seen the impact of unfair taxation on hardworking employees. Our success hasn’t changed one basic truth: the backbone of this industry is tipped workers. And they deserve an economic system that works for them.

But the bill doesn’t stop there. It makes the 20% small business deduction permanent, expands 100% expensing for equipment and improvements, and repeals unnecessary reporting burdens. These aren’t abstract policies. They’re the difference between opening a new location or staying stagnant. Between hiring that extra server or letting them go.

I know what it’s like to balance payroll against rising food costs. I’ve seen talented employees leave because we couldn’t match the benefits offered elsewhere. This bill helps level the playing field — not with handouts, but with relief that lets us reinvest in our people and our communities.

It also strengthens the child tax credit, allows families to use 529 accounts for trade school and other non-traditional paths, and expands health savings accounts. In other words, it recognizes the many forms success can take — and supports families trying to build a future, whether that future includes college or culinary school, welding or web design.

Critics say it does too much. I say Washington has done too little for too long. This bill doesn’t just lower taxes — it corrects imbalances. It says that people who work with their hands, who serve others, who take risks and create jobs, deserve a fair system too — not just tech giants and hedge funds.

Some bills are symbolic. Trump’s bill is tangible. It affects your paycheck, your business, and your family’s bottom line. And for those of us who know the difference between scraping by and surviving one more month, that matters.

I love this country because it doesn’t just give you the freedom to dream — it gives you the chance to work for that dream. The House’s approval was a big step forward in making sure that promise still holds — now the Senate must do its part.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is a victory for working Americans — for the single mom on the night shift, the dishwasher chasing a dream, the business owner trying to grow. And it reminds us: when Washington gets it right, the people win.

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Natalia Denegri is the owner of Baires Grill and an Emmy award-winning journalist based in Miami. Earlier this month, she joined a Bienvenido’s Empresarios delegation at the White House to advocate on behalf of the passage of President Trump’s Big Beautiful bill.