Dallas-based AT&T announced today that thanks to the passage of the GOP tax plan, it is giving the majority of its employees in the United States a $1,000 bonus.

In a memo, CEO Randall Stephenson told employees, "Once tax reform is signed into law, we plan to invest an additional $1 billion in 2018 and pay a special $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 — all union represented, non-management and 1st and 2nd line managers — as added recognition for their dedication and hard work."

Congress passed the final version of the tax bill on Wednesday afternoon, and it awaits President Donald Trump's signature. The bill brings the corporate tax rate down to 21 percent from 35 percent. It also provides cuts in the tax rate for middle-income families and raises the standard deduction.

In the run-up to the bill's passage, few CEOs other than Stephenson had made specific promises about using savings from a big reduction in the corporate tax rate to create jobs or invest in the country. That changed on Wednesday.

As the bill raced through Congress, Boeing Co. announced it would invest $300 million in a combination of employee training, improved workplace infrastructure and corporate giving. About an hour later, AT&T Inc. made its announcement.

Fifth Third Bancorp went further, saying it would raise its minimum hourly wage to $15 and distribute a $1,000 payout to 13,500 employees. Wells Fargo, the nation's largest mortgage lender, joined Fifth Third on the pay raise to $15 an hour, while also pledging $400 million to community and nonprofit organizations next year. Cable giant Comcast Corp. said about 100,000 workers would get $1,000 holiday bonuses and pledged more than $50 billion in infrastructure investments over the next five years.

"We want to invest in our most important asset — our people," said Fifth Third chief executive Greg Carmichael. "Our employees drive our reputation, our business and our success."

Speaking at The White House after the bill's passage, Trump cited the AT&T bonuses as one sign of how the tax bill will benefit working Americans.

"That's because of what we did," Trump said. "So that's pretty good."

During the tax debate, Stephenson repeatedly said AT&T would use the savings from tax cuts for $1 billion in domestic investment that would include building new infrastructure to homes and businesses.

Speaking on CNBC in May, Stephenson said the new spending would create thousands of jobs.

"The arithmetic for us is simple: For every billion dollars of additional investment we make is 7,000 additional jobs we have to put on to put that capital into the ground or on cell towers and so forth," he said.

But AT&T also appears to be cutting back in some areas in the coming months. According to a letter AT&T sent to the Texas Workforce Commission, next year the company plans to permanently lay off nearly 300 workers in Dallas.

About 190 "non-management" employees work at a credit and collections center at 4331 Communications Drive, while another 94 non-management employees work at a "premium care center" at that same location, according to the letter.

The layoffs are set to begin in mid-February and wrap up in March. Other functions will continue to operate at that location.

And The New York Post reported this week that the company gave pink slips to 700 DirecTV installers across the country before the Christmas holiday.

While Stephenson has praised the Trump administration for its tax policy and its willingness to roll back rules requiring net neutrality, AT&T is currently in a huge battle with Trump's Justice Department over its planned merger with Time Warner.

Last month, the Justice Department sued to block the merger, saying that AT&T's ownership of Time Warner content — which includes HBO, CNN and TNT — would thwart competition and harm consumers.

The case is set to go to trial March 19.

Staff writer Karen Robinson-Jacobs contributed to this report. Material from Bloomberg was also used.