Senate Republicans are charging toward a final vote on President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending plan, dubbed the "big, beautiful bill," despite fierce Democratic pushback and some GOP waverers.
Fox News reported that the package, aiming to cement Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and overhaul Medicaid, has sparked a firestorm over its hefty price tag. Conservatives see it as a bold move to fuel growth, but critics warn it’s a fiscal train wreck.
Lawmakers debated intensely from Sunday afternoon to early Monday, June 16, 2025, before moving to a "vote-a-rama" where amendments fly fast and furious.
Senate Republicans are advancing President Trump’s comprehensive bill, which seeks to make his first-term tax cuts permanent while introducing controversial Medicaid reforms, even as Democrats and some Republicans voice concerns about its $507 billion to $3.3 trillion deficit impact over a decade. The process has been a partisan slugfest, with floor charts and fiery speeches dominating the chamber.
The debate kicked off after Democrats ended a delay tactic, allowing Republicans to push forward. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, on June 2, 2025, signaled a full-court press to get the bill over the finish line. Republicans are tweaking the package to win over skeptics, while Democrats lob amendments to gut or derail it.
The Congressional Budget Office dropped a bombshell, reporting the bill could add $507 billion to the deficit under current policy or a staggering $3.3 trillion under current law.
Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham claimed authority to set the budget baseline, insisting the Senate voted to give him that power. His move sidesteps the Senate parliamentarian, raising eyebrows among those who value procedural norms.
“The resolution we’re operating under, we voted to make that the case,” Graham said, defending his budget maneuver. His logic? It’s all above board since the Senate approved it, but critics call it a slick way to downplay the bill’s fiscal fallout.
Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, aren’t buying the Republican spin. “Republicans can use whatever budgetary gimmicks they want, but you can’t paper over the real-life consequences of adding tens of trillions to the debt,” Schumer said. His warning resonates with fiscal hawks, but it’s drowned out by GOP cheers for tax cuts and growth.
Republican-proposed Medicaid changes, including work requirements and cuts to federal payments, have Democrats crying foul. Graham argued the program’s growth since the Affordable Care Act is unsustainable, blaming incentives for states to expand coverage to able-bodied adults.
“It’s a good thing for the individual involved to be working,” Graham said, doubling down on work requirements. His framing paints it as common sense, but opponents argue it punishes the vulnerable. The debate feels like a rerun of old welfare reform battles, with both sides dug in.
Sen. Thom Tillis, one of two GOP holdouts, slammed the bill’s Medicaid tweaks, particularly changes to the provider tax rate. “What’s wrong with actually understanding what this bill does?” Tillis asked, voicing frustration over unclear state impacts. His vote against advancing the bill on June 14, 2025, signals trouble for party unity.
Sen. Rand Paul also broke ranks, opposing the bill’s $5 trillion debt ceiling hike and deficit growth. “This bill will grow the deficit,” Paul declared, sticking to his libertarian guns. His stance is a headache for Republicans, who can’t afford many defections.
Tillis raised alarms about 663,000 people potentially losing Medicaid coverage if funding falls short. “What do I tell 663,000 people when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off Medicaid?” he asked. His question cuts deep, exposing cracks in the GOP’s healthcare narrative.
Meanwhile, Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo pushed back against deficit fears. “Only in Washington is the refusal to raise your taxes an increase in the deficit,” Crapo said, framing the bill as a win for taxpayers. His quip is clever, but it sidesteps the CBO’s grim numbers.
The "vote-a-rama" is the next hurdle, where senators can propose unlimited amendments to reshape the bill. Republicans hope to hold the line, but Democrats are ready to exploit any opening to weaken the package. The process is chaotic, testing the GOP’s ability to stay disciplined.
President Trump, speaking to the media on June 15, 2025, before boarding Marine One, kept the pressure on. His "big, beautiful bill" is a legacy-defining gamble, banking on economic growth to offset the deficit hit. Supporters see it as a return to his first-term swagger, while skeptics fear a fiscal disaster.
