Washington (AP) As Congress scrambles to fulfill President Donald Trump’s deadline for passage on July 4th, the Republican-controlled Senate advanced his package of tax incentives, spending cuts, and enhanced deportation funding, capping a turbulent evening.
The Senate cleared a crucial procedural hurdle Saturday as midnight drew near, voting 51-49 and sending Vice President JD Vance to the Capitol to break a possible tie. Holdout senators were huddled for negotiations and holding private meetings off the Senate floor as the voting process stalled for over three hours. Ultimately, two Republicans joined all 47 Democrats in opposing the resolution to proceed with Trump’s signature domestic policy initiative.
Trump later said on social media, “We saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate tonight.”Republicans have had a number of political and policy setbacks, but they are still utilizing their congressional majorities to ignore Democratic opposition. Proposals to cut Medicaid, food stamp, and other program spending to help pay for the extension of almost $3.8 trillion in Trump tax breaks have not been supported by all GOP senators.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a Republican who had declared he could not support the measure due to Medicaid cuts that he believed would leave many people in his state without health care, was one of the holdouts Trump had attacked, threatening to run against him during the campaign. According to a recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which is impartial, the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more people without health insurance in 2034.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Tillis voted nay.
Elon Musk, who denounced the 940-page law as completely harmful and foolish, renewed efforts to oppose it.
Senators now have an all-night debate and amendments ahead of them. Before the law to make it to the White House, it would need to pass one last round of votes in the House. Leaders need the support of nearly every lawmaker because of the slim Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
According to New York Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Republicans rushed through the bill’s release in the middle of the night on Friday before the public had a chance to properly understand its contents. Late on Saturday and early on Sunday morning, he made everyone read the entire passage.Tax cuts and the main goals of the GOP
Fundamentally, the bill would extend many of the tax benefits from Trump’s first term that would otherwise expire by the end of the year if Congress does nothing, potentially raising taxes for Americans. The package would allocate $350 billion for national security, including Trump’s mass deportation program, and add new advantages, such as no tip taxes.
However, there is also discontent among Republicans at the reductions to green energy investments, food stamps, and Medicaid. The environmental rollbacks would be a death sentence for America’s wind and solar industry, according to Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon.
Republicans are depending on the cutbacks to make up for the lost tax income, but some members believe the cuts are excessive, especially for Medicaid recipients. Conservatives, meanwhile, are calling for more drastic cuts because they are concerned about the country’s debt.
A dramatic roll call
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the focus of a heated discussion among GOP leaders as the roll call teetered. She cast a yes vote.
Holdouts Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Mike Lee of Utah, and Rick Scott of Florida were summoned to Majority Leader John Thune’s office shortly after. Vance added his voice. The conversations continued.
Vance then ushered everyone back in to cast their votes.
“We all want to get to yes,” Scott added after claiming to have met with the president.
According to Lee, the group held an internal debate over the plan to reduce the deficit and increase savings. I am pleased with the way things are going and anticipate more in the future.
Republicans revise after setbacks by Senate s arbiter
As the Senate lawmaker examined the bill to make sure it adhered to the chamber’s stringent Byrd Rule—named for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.—its release had been postponed. Unless a provision receives 60 votes to overcome objections, it essentially prevents policy topics from being included in budget measures.
After a number of their proposals—such as transferring food stamp expenditures from the federal government to the states or dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure—were found to be in violation of the regulations, Republicans faced a string of losses.
However, Republicans have swiftly updated and reintroduced such measures in recent days.
A plan to reduce the Medicaid provider tax, which had encountered parliamentary obstacles and opposition from a number of senators concerned about the future of rural hospitals, is included in the final draft. The updated version creates a $25 billion fund to support rural hospitals and providers and delays the implementation of those cuts.
According to the CBO, the House version would cost the poorest Americans $1,600, while top earnings would receive a tax cut of over $12,000.
Tussle over SALT
Legislators from New York and other high-tax states have made the so-called SALT provision—a deduction for state and local taxes—a primary goal, and the Senate includes a compromise on the matter, but it is still up for debate.
A few Republicans proposed to raise the SALT cap from the existing $10,000 annual cap to $40,000. A five-year maximum of $40,000 is included in the final draft. That is still too generous, according to many Republican senators, but House Republicans are also not entirely happy.
Despite being on call to return to Washington, House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered his colleagues home for the weekend.
