The US Senate has just passed President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” after more than 24 hours of negotiations.
The vote was 50-50 and Vice President, JD Vance was in the chamber to cast the tie-breaking vote.
Only three of the Senate’s 53 Republicans, namely, Thom Tillis, Rand Paul and Susan Collins joined the Senate Democrats to vote against the package, which passed 51-50 after Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.
Three was the maximum number of votes the Senate Republicans could afford to lose in order to get the bill through the chamber.
The bill, which would enshrine many of Trump’s top priorities into law while adding $3.3tn to the national debt, will now head back to the House for final approval.
The vote in the House, where Republicans also hold a very narrow 220-212 majority, is likely to be close as well. When the bill first passed through the lower chamber in May, it did so by only a single vote.
Republican leaders are scrambling to meet Trump’s Fourth of July deadline.
Trump earlier indicated some flexibility on his 4 July deadline for the bill to land on his desk.
Nonetheless, Republican leaders in the House reiterated their commitment to pass Trump’s agenda bill by July 4, 2025.
A statement from Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, and Chairwoman Lisa McClain after the bill passed the Senate, said, “The House will work quickly to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill that enacts President Trump’s full America First agenda by the Fourth of July.”
They asserted in the statement that they were give a clear mandate by the American people and “after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay.”
“Republicans were elected to do exactly what this bill achieves: secure the border, make tax cuts permanent, unleash American energy dominance, restore peace through strength, cut wasteful spending, and return to a government that puts Americans first.
“This bill is President Trump’s agenda, and we are making it law. House Republicans are ready to finish the job and put the One Big Beautiful Bill on President Trump’s desk in time for Independence Day.”
Statement from Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, and Chairwoman Lisa McClain.
Music To Trump’s Ears
In his first reaction to the Senate’s passage of his domestic policy bill, US President, Donald Trump called it “music to my ears” while holding a roundtable discussion at a new migrant detention facility in Florida.
Trump made the remark when a reporter broke the news to him.
“I was also wondering how we’re doing, because I know this is primetime, it shows that I care about you.”
Donald Trump
Trump commended US Vice President, JD Vance, who cast the tie-breaking vote. “He’s doing a good job,” Trump said.
Also, Trump projected easy passage of his megabill in the House of Representatives.
He downplayed concerns about Americans who might lose health care coverage and suggested instead that the measure would only eliminate waste from government programs.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, 11.8 million people would lose health coverage, based on the version of the bill introduced in the Senate.
Trump added that Republicans had been relatively lenient on cutting Medicaid compared to harsher options.
However, Democratic National Committee Chair, Ken Martin slammed the Senate Republicans’ passage of their bill for Trump’s agenda.
He called it “a massive scheme to steal from working folks, struggling families and even from nursing homes — all to enrich the already rich with a tax giveaway.”
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