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In a dramatic 51-50 vote early Tuesday morning, the Republican-controlled Senate passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy package, putting the legislation — dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — one step closer to becoming law.
Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote after three Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul (KY), Thom Tillis (NC), and Susan Collins (ME) — joined all 47 Democrats in opposing the measure. The Senate’s approval came after a marathon “vote-a-rama” session that ran more than 24 hours and involved over 45 amendment votes, many of which were symbolic or fiercely contested.
Key Provisions in the Legislation
The massive 940-page bill extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, suspends taxes on tips and overtime, injects $150 billion in new military funding, and boosts immigration enforcement and mass deportation efforts. It also:
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Cuts Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps) by hundreds of billions
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Rolls back clean energy funding
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Raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion
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Caps the SALT deduction at $40,000 for five years, then returns it to $10,000
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will increase the national debt by $3.3 trillion over 10 years and result in 11.8 million people losing health insurance by 2034.
Murkowski’s Crucial Vote and Republican Dissent
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) provided the pivotal vote that allowed the bill to pass, after weeks of signaling deep concerns over cuts to the social safety net.
“I struggled mightily with the impact on the most vulnerable,” Murkowski said. “We do not have a perfect bill by any stretch of the imagination.”
Meanwhile, dissenting Republicans cited the fiscal and moral costs:
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Sen. Rand Paul called the bill a “fiscal disaster” that piles onto the deficit.
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Sen. Thom Tillis and Sen. Susan Collins opposed the severity of the Medicaid cuts.
“My difficulties with the bill go far beyond what they could resolve,” Collins said.
Historic Procedural Changes
To pass the bill, Republicans employed a controversial “current policy baseline” budget maneuver to lower the bill’s official cost estimate by $3.8 trillion — a move Democrats decried as “nuclear.”
“This sets a dangerous precedent and weakens the 60-vote threshold,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).
What’s Next: House Fight Looms
The bill now heads to the House, where it faces a narrow path to passage. GOP leaders can only afford three defections. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and his team have vowed to bring the bill up quickly, possibly by Wednesday, to meet Trump’s July 4 signing deadline.
“The House will work quickly to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Johnson said, calling it a cornerstone of the “America First” agenda.
But the Senate’s changes have alienated key House Republicans, including:
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The House Freedom Caucus, over what it sees as insufficient spending cuts
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Rep. David Valadao (R-CA), who opposes Medicaid reductions
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Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), objecting to the weakened SALT deduction cap
Inside the All-Nighter: Pizza, Blankets, and Impressions
During the overnight session, exhausted senators leaned into survival tactics:
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Republicans munched pizza behind the scenes
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Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) wrapped herself in a “Wild Wonderful West Virginia” blanket
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Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) entertained colleagues with Trump impressions, riffing on Elon Musk’s social media barbs
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Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) filmed quirky videos inside the Capitol
A particularly notable amendment vote saw the Senate reject a 10-year AI regulation ban proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on a 99-1 vote, after governors and fellow Republicans raised alarm.
Political Stakes and the Road Ahead
The Senate’s narrow approval gives Trump his most significant legislative victory of his second term — but the hardest fight may lie ahead in the House.
Democrats have slammed the bill as a giveaway to the rich at the expense of vulnerable Americans:
“Republicans are taking away your health care to give a tax break to billionaires,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
With just days until the July 4 deadline, the fate of Trump’s most ambitious domestic agenda now hangs in the balance — again — on Capitol Hill.
