Senate Republicans advance Trump's bill with narrow path to final passage
Senate Republicans narrowly advanced an updated bill containing President Donald Trump's legislative priorities on Saturday, despite criticism over proposed cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs.
Senate Republicans narrowly advanced an updated bill containing President Donald Trump's legislative priorities on Saturday, despite criticism over proposed cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs.
Senate Republicans narrowly advanced an updated bill containing President Donald Trump's legislative priorities on Saturday, despite criticism over proposed cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs.
Senate Republicans narrowly advanced President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after clearing a key procedural hurdle on Saturday.
With a 51-49 vote, the GOP took a first step toward passing its 940-page bill, rallying back from earlier roadblocks that prompted Republicans to release a revised version of their legislation just before midnight on Friday.
Nodding to Trump’s self-imposed Independence Day deadline, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said, "Let's celebrate July 4 with the greatest bill ever passed by the United States Congress.”
“With one bill, we can deliver on a number of priorities: tax relief for hard-working Americans, economic growth, a stronger national defense, a more secure border, and a more reliable energy supply,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
The White House released a statement Saturday saying it "strongly supports passage" of the updated bill, but there are still several steps to go before it gets to Trump’s desk.
Senators will have a chance to propose amendments before taking a final vote. After that, the legislation needs to win approval in the House.
The GOP cannot afford to lose more than three votes in the Senate. Two Republican senators, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, sided with Democrats to oppose the bill.
"It's hard to believe this bill is worse than any draft we have seen thus far,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Tillis, who is now facing threats of a primary challenge from Trump on social media, cited concerns about proposed Medicaid cuts in a statement explaining his vote.
“It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population,” Tillis wrote.
The Senate bill would add new work requirements for certain able-bodied adults to qualify for benefits and limit provider taxes that many states use to fund their Medicaid programs. It goes further than the House bill on both fronts but adds a $25 billion fund to support rural hospitals.
That was enough to win over at least one Republican holdout, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, but Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she plans to introduce several amendments on the issue before deciding how she’ll side in the final vote.
On energy policy, the Senate bill would also roll back Biden-era tax breaks for electric vehicles while phasing out or terminating tax credits for wind and solar projects.
That prompted harsh criticism on Saturday from former White House adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,” Musk wrote on social media.
But Trump appears to have won over another critic, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who wanted steeper spending cuts.
“After working for weeks with and his highly capable economic team, I am convinced that he views this as a necessary first step and will support my efforts to help put America on a path to fiscal sustainability,” Johnson posted on social media after voting to advance the package.
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