As Monday rolled on into evening, the Senate remained locked in a marathon session of votes, with Republican leadership working overtime to maintain momentum behind President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative proposal of tax reductions and spending reforms, even as Democrats offered a flurry of amendments in hopes of sinking the measure.
There was still no clear indication of when the final tally would come. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota admitted Republicans are still “figuring out how to get to the end game.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson hinted at difficulties that may arise when the legislation returns to the House for final approval later in the week, ahead of Trump’s July 4th deadline. “I have prevailed upon my Senate colleagues to please, please, please keep it as close to the House product as possible,” Johnson said Monday evening as he left the Capitol. The House GOP already passed their version of the bill last month.
This marks a crucial juncture for the GOP, who hold both chambers and are racing against the clock to finalize their agenda by Friday. The sprawling 940-page legislation, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” has dominated the congressional calendar, representing a shared top priority with the president.
With only slim majorities in the House and Senate, Republican leaders have little margin for error. Thune can’t afford to lose more than three GOP senators. Two—North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, who’s concerned about potential Medicaid cuts, and Kentucky’s Rand Paul, who’s against raising the debt ceiling—have already voiced objections. Over the weekend, Tillis announced he won’t seek reelection, following threats from Trump to oppose him politically. Rumors suggest up to six other Republican senators may be undecided or leaning against the bill, enough to jeopardize its success.
Adding to the political storm, billionaire Elon Musk lashed out at the Republican plan, branding the party the “PORKY PIG PARTY!!” over its inclusion of a $5 trillion debt ceiling hike necessary to maintain government borrowing.
Prior to Monday’s voting, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned that the most difficult decisions for Republicans were still ahead. “With every rewrite Senate Republicans have made their bill more extreme,” Schumer said. “All to give tax breaks to billionaires.”
Democrats have submitted dozens of proposed amendments during what’s known as a vote-a-rama, although few are expected to pass. United in their opposition to the president’s plan, Democrats eagerly lined up to challenge the bill provision by provision.
A new report from the independent Congressional Budget Office projected that, should the legislation pass, 11.8 million more Americans would be without health insurance by 2034. The same report estimated the bill would swell the national deficit by roughly $3.3 trillion over the next ten years.
The White House remained confident in the final outcome, urging Republican lawmakers to stay the course. “Republicans need to stay tough and unified during the home stretch,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Still, the pace of voting dragged throughout the day—suggesting GOP leadership hadn’t yet locked in the support needed to bring the bill across the finish line.
Tillis, voicing deep concerns, said the bill betrays the president’s pledge not to strip Americans of health coverage, especially if hospitals in rural areas are forced to close.
Maine Senator Susan Collins has proposed adding $25 billion for rural hospitals, while Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski is working to shield her constituents from steep reductions to Medicaid and food assistance. Neither has revealed how they intend to vote on the final measure.
At the same time, several right-leaning Senate Republicans—including Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming—are pushing for deeper spending cuts, especially in health care. Trump, for his part, has urged them not to go “crazy.”
Early amendments debated Monday, such as those aimed at removing limits on Medicaid funding for rural facilities or preventing the cost of food stamps from shifting to state budgets, saw minor Republican backing, but none passed.
Senator Mike Crapo, who heads the Finance Committee, dismissed the dire warnings of healthcare fallout as fearmongering by Democrats. He accused them of engaging in the “politics of fear.”
The legislation would slash taxes by a total of $4.5 trillion, according to the latest CBO review. It would lock in the Trump-era 2017 tax rates, which are due to expire by year’s end, and introduce new provisions from the president’s recent campaign promises—such as eliminating taxes on tips.
The bill would also cancel billions in clean energy incentives, a move Democrats argue would devastate the wind and solar industries nationwide. Additionally, it proposes $1.2 trillion in cuts, mainly targeting Medicaid and SNAP benefits, through stricter eligibility criteria, mandatory work requirements, and changes to how the federal government reimburses states.
Another major component is a $350 billion boost for border and national security, which would include enhanced deportation efforts—partially funded through new immigration-related fees.
Without the votes to stop the bill outright, Democrats are relying on procedural maneuvers to delay its progress.
They demanded the entire bill be read aloud on the Senate floor, a process that took 16 hours, and continue to introduce a steady stream of amendments aimed at slowing the GOP’s momentum.
{Matzav.com}