Senate Republicans Advance Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" Amid Division
Senate Republicans have narrowly advanced the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which plays a significant role in President Donald Trump's second-term agenda, ahead of a self-imposed deadline of July 4. The Senate voted 51-49 and initiated debate on the bill, with two Republicans joining Democrats to oppose the move.
The party leadership had worked to secure votes for this legislation, dubbed by Trump as his "Big Beautiful Bill," which emerged in its lengthy 940-page form shortly after midnight on Saturday. A key point of contention among Republicans has been how much to cut welfare programs to facilitate $3.8 trillion in tax breaks proposed by Trump. Critics argue that such cuts could deprive millions of low-income Americans of essential health insurance coverage.
In a late-night social media post, Trump hailed the Senate's progress as a "great victory." He targeted Republicans Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who both voted against the bill. Trump questioned Paul's opposition to a provision that would raise the US debt limit and noted Tillis's concerns about potential costs to his state, especially regarding healthcare funding and its effects on Medicaid, which supports millions of elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals.
Despite the division, some skeptical Republicans, including centrist senators Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine, ultimately supported bringing the bill to debate. Collins clarified that her vote was merely procedural and did not indicate her support for the bill's final passage, voicing dissatisfaction with proposed healthcare cuts and insufficient backing for rural hospitals.
Vice President JD Vance was present to cast a tiebreak vote if necessary, but Republican leaders achieved majority support without his intervention.
A final vote is anticipated in the coming days, requiring a simple majority to pass. With the Republicans holding 53 seats, including Vance's tie-breaking vote, they can only afford to lose three Republican votes.
If the Senate passes the bill, it will return to the House of Representatives for approval, where Republicans can only lose a few votes. Some House members have expressed concerns over the Senate's amendments, which are designed to appease dissenting party members.
Democrats have vowed to delay the voting process as a form of protest against the bill. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has insisted that Republicans must read the entire 1,000-page document aloud before debating or voting. "Senate Republicans are scrambling to pass a radical bill released to the public in the dead of night, praying the American people don't realize what's in it," he stated, adding that if the Senate does not disclose the bill's details, Democrats will ensure every page is read.
The White House has backed the recent revisions, stating in a memo that failure to pass the budget would be deemed a significant betrayal. Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, has denounced the bill on social media, calling it "the largest healthcare cuts in history."
Critics of the bill also include tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who voiced concerns over potential job losses and strategic harms resulting from the proposed taxes on solar and wind energy projects.
The latest draft of the spending bill retains some foundational elements, including tax deductions for Social Security benefits and the elimination of taxes on overtime and tips. It also proposes to extend tax cuts initially enacted by Republicans in 2017. However, contentious provisions remain, particularly those affecting Medicaid, which Democrats say will restrict access to affordable healthcare for many Americans. According to the Congressional Budget Office, approximately 7.8 million individuals could lose their insurance due to the proposed cuts.
The draft has been adjusted following input from the Senate parliamentarian, with increased funding for rural hospitals in response to concerns from moderate Republicans.