Senate Republicans narrowly passed President Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts on Tuesday, but only after Vice President JD Vance was able to cast the tie-breaking vote when the legislative body was locked in a 50-50 tie.
Republicans hold 53 votes to the Democrats’ 47 in the Senate, but after a turbulent overnight session, three Republicans voted against the measure that President Trump has dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
The three Republican senators – Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, and Rand Paul of Kentucky – joined Democrats in opposing the bill.
Senate Republicans have been divided over concerns about changes to Medicaid on one hand and a desire for deeper spending cuts on the other hand. Some cautioned that the bill could leave millions of people without Medicaid health coverage, while conservatives expressed concern that steeper cuts are needed to battle deficit spending that has been out of control for decades. Sen. Paul opposed the bill because he rejects the idea of raising America’s debt limit by another $5 trillion.
Trump had warned that if the bill doesn’t pass, taxes will go way up for many Americans. He also declared, “I don’t want to go too crazy with cuts… I don’t like cuts.”
Now that the Senate has officially passed the bill, it goes back to the House for final approval.
Speaker Mike Johnson is vowing to send it to Trump’s desk by July Fourth, but he could face battles with House conservatives because the Senate made changes to Medicaid spending.
An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the package would increase the federal deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.
