US Senate nears vote on Trump's 'big beautiful' spending bill
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Trump’s controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill” advances in the Senate, drawing sharp criticism for deep Medicaid cuts and a projected $3 trillion increase in the federal deficit.
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The Senate side of the Capitol is seen in Washington on June 30, 2025, as Republicans plan to begin a final push to advance President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts package. (AP)
US senators engaged in a marathon session of amendment votes on Monday as Republicans pushed to approve US President Donald Trump's flagship spending bill, a controversial package, which would significantly cut social welfare programs while adding a staggering $3 trillion to the national debt.
Trump is pushing for his "One Big Beautiful Bill," which seeks to extend his expiring first-term tax cuts for $4.5 trillion, while also increasing military spending and financing his plans for large-scale deportations and enhanced border security measures.
“THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL” has PASSED the House of Representatives! This is arguably the most significant piece of Legislation that will ever be signed in the History of our Country! The Bill includes MASSIVE Tax CUTS, No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, Tax Deductions when…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2025
As the 2026 midterm elections loom, senators are at odds over controversial measures that would slash nearly $1 trillion in health care subsidies for vulnerable Americans, while simultaneously ballooning the federal deficit by an additional $3.3 trillion over the coming decade.
Trump is pushing to finalize the legislation and ready it for his signature before Friday's Independence Day celebrations begin.
Vote-a-rama drama
The Senate's progress ground to a near halt on Monday as the marathon voting session, known as a vote-a-rama, where senators can propose unlimited amendments before reaching a final vote, dragged into its thirteenth hour with no resolution in sight.
As the prospect of a final vote being pushed back until the early hours of Tuesday grew increasingly likely with no indication of progress speeding up, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt urged Republicans to maintain their resolve and stand together.
While past vote-a-ramas have wrapped up in just nine or ten hours, Democrats now allege Republicans are intentionally dragging out the current process. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that Republicans were deliberately prolonging the process, noting that many of their members had been given assurances that might now prove undeliverable, leaving them with little choice but to delay proceedings.
"But we're just pushing forward, amendment after amendment. They don't like these amendments. The public is on our side in almost every amendment we do," Schumer added.
The Senate is only the beginning
With Trump maintaining firm control over the Republican Party and the GOP clinging to a narrow Senate majority, analysts anticipate he will ultimately prevail despite facing near-unanimous opposition from Democrats.
Such an outcome would mark a significant victory for the Republican leader, particularly given the criticism he has faced for advancing his agenda through executive orders that bypass congressional oversight.
While Senate approval represents a critical step forward, the 940-page bill still faces an uncertain fate as it moves to the House of Representatives, where dissent within the narrow Republican majority could derail its passage.
Bill to transfer wealth from the poorest to the richest
Independent analyses indicate the legislation would trigger an unprecedented transfer of wealth from the bottom 10 percent of earners to the nation's wealthiest citizens.
Research shows that cutting Medicaid and Affordable Care Act funding would strip health coverage from nearly 12 million more Americans by 2034, disproportionately harming low-income residents in a country already struggling with sky-high insurance costs.
Public opinion surveys indicate the legislation ranks as one of the most widely opposed bills in recent history, with disapproval cutting across demographic lines, age brackets, and income levels.
Through targeted amendments, Senate Democrats are amplifying the bill's most controversial elements, extending from eroded health coverage to slashed food benefits and gutted renewable energy support.
With Rand Paul and Thom Tillis already opposing the bill, Republican leadership can only withstand one more GOP senator abandoning the party line.
How about this: tweak the Big not so beautiful bill so it doesn’t add so much to the debt?
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 28, 2025
The legislation, as currently written, would pay someone like Elon Musk $1000 per child, and we know how prolific he is . . . No offense, Elon, but Is that a wise use of our $$?
Big Beautiful Bill faces complaints
The House could take up the Senate-passed bill as soon as Wednesday, though the legislation faces resistance from both ultra-conservative members demanding deeper spending cuts and moderates concerned about the proposed Medicaid reductions.
As voting commenced, Elon Musk, Trump's former key ally who recently had a bitter public rift with the president over the legislation, doubled down on his harsh critiques while advocating for the creation of a new political movement.
If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2025
Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.
The former head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, who resigned in late May, launched fresh attacks by condemning Republican support for what he called "debt slavery" as the legislative battle intensified.
