Washington (BN24) – Senate Republicans narrowly advanced President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation in a tense late-night session Saturday, moving a step closer to enacting his signature economic plan before the July Fourth deadline he demanded.
The 51-49 vote capped hours of suspense on the Senate floor, with Vice President JD Vance arriving to break a potential tie. The chamber fell into an extended stalemate as GOP leaders negotiated with holdout senators behind closed doors, and voting dragged on for more than three hours. In the end, two Republicans — Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined all Democrats in opposing the measure.
A Weekend of High Stakes
The bill — formally titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — is a sprawling 940-page package combining permanent extensions of $3.8 trillion in Trump-era tax cuts with steep reductions in Medicaid, food assistance, and clean energy investments to offset the cost. It also earmarks $350 billion for defense priorities, including funding for mass deportation operations.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota urged Republicans to stay united despite deep divisions. “It’s time to get this legislation across the finish line,” he said.
Trump, who spent Saturday at his Virginia golf course before returning to the White House, lashed out publicly and privately at GOP dissenters. According to one person familiar with the late-night calls, the president threatened to campaign against Sen. Tillis for opposing Medicaid cuts he argued would devastate care in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk weighed in, calling the bill “utterly insane and destructive” on social media.
Dramatic Moments in the Chamber
The vote was preceded by the bill’s release just before midnight Friday, leaving senators little time to study its contents. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Republicans for “unveiling the bill in the dead of night” and immediately ordered the entire text read aloud, delaying debate by hours.
In the final moments before the tally closed, attention fixed on Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who was encircled by GOP leaders in whispered discussions before casting her vote to proceed.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who had initially opposed the bill over its debt limit increase, flipped to a “yes” after private negotiations. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah were summoned to Thune’s office with Vance and Johnson as talks dragged deep into the night. They emerged together to cast their votes.
Lee later told reporters the group had agreed on “more deficit reduction” strategies, adding, “I feel good about the direction.”
Make-or-Break for the GOP
The procedural victory kicks off what could be a defining weekend for Trump’s party. With narrow GOP majorities in both chambers, leaders can afford few defections. If the Senate passes the bill, it will return to the House for final approval.
House Speaker Mike Johnson sent members home for the weekend but instructed them to be ready to reconvene quickly if the Senate clears the package.
A fresh analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office forecast that the bill could leave 11.8 million more Americans uninsured by 2034. The CBO also projected the top income earners would see tax cuts averaging $12,000 annually, while the lowest-income households could lose roughly $1,600.
Republican Divides and Policy Revisions
The bill’s progress has been slowed by internal disputes over Medicaid reductions and provisions to raise the SALT (state and local tax) deduction cap. Some Republicans pressed for an increase from $10,000 to $40,000; the final draft settled on a temporary five-year cap at that higher level — a compromise that still leaves many in the party dissatisfied.
Earlier setbacks forced Republicans to rework controversial sections after the Senate parliamentarian ruled they violated the chamber’s Byrd Rule, which limits budget reconciliation bills to provisions directly impacting spending or revenue. Provisions shifting food stamp costs to states and restructuring the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had to be revised or postponed.
In a bid to placate rural-state holdouts, the final text delayed Medicaid provider tax cuts and created a $25 billion fund to support rural hospitals.
The Road Ahead
Trump has been relentless in pushing lawmakers to act. “We all want to get to yes,” Sen. Scott said after meeting with the president.
Sen. Tillis and Sen. Paul remain opposed, citing the damage to Medicaid and concerns over adding $5 trillion to the debt ceiling. Other Republicans, worried about the growing deficit, want even deeper spending cuts.
Despite the hurdles, Thune urged his caucus to finish the job: “The American people expect us to keep our word.”
AP
