Senate Narrowly Advances Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

The Republican-controlled Senate late Saturday voted 51-49 to advance an updated version of President Donald Trump’s signature tax-and-spending bill ahead of a July 4 deadline.

“Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social network just after midnight Sunday. Trump praised four Republican Senators who changed their votes in favor of the bill, adding that “it wouldn’t have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis.”

All Democrats and GOP Sens. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) and Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) voted against advancing the 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill.” 

The Senate next will begin debating the bill after a lengthy reading of it forced by Democrats. A final vote could come as soon as Monday. Given a 53-47 Senate majority, Republicans may only be able to afford losing up to three votes and pass it. (In the case of a 50-50 vote, Vice President JD Vance, as Senate president, could break the tie.)

If the Senate passes the bill, the next step would be for the two chambers of Congress to iron out their differences before sending a final version to President Trump’s desk for signature.

The revised version released by the Senate late Friday reportedly includes higher deductions for state and local taxes through 2029, more funding for rural hospitals, and gives states a longer timeline ahead of anticipated Medicaid cuts compared to earlier iterations. However, the latest version still retains many of its earlier features, such as extending 2017 Trump tax cuts, and introducing other tax breaks, as well as cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food aid.