Senate Kicks Off Final Push on Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Amid GOP Divisions and Deadline Pressure
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News) – With fireworks just days away, Senate Republicans entered a marathon stretch Monday morning in a dramatic race to pass President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget and tax overhaul, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” before the self-imposed July 4th deadline. The legislation, a centerpiece of Trump’s second-term agenda, has triggered late-night floor fights, intraparty feuding, and a last-ditch effort to unite a narrowly divided Republican majority.
At 9 a.m. Monday, the chamber launched into a “vote-a-rama,” a rapid-fire series of amendment votes required under the budget reconciliation process. This comes on the heels of a grueling 34-hour session that included a 16-hour reading of the bill — an effort by Democrats to stall momentum. The Senate had already cleared the first procedural hurdle with a slim 51-49 vote Saturday night, with GOP Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) breaking ranks.
The nearly 1,000-page bill would make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, overhaul Medicaid and SNAP programs, tighten border enforcement, and adjust state tax deduction limits. But with Senate Republicans holding just 53 seats, and at least six senators still publicly undecided, the math remains razor-thin. Vice President JD Vance stands ready to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has led a delicate balancing act to win over both deficit hawks and moderates concerned about Medicaid changes. “Fifty-three members will never agree on every detail of legislation,” Thune acknowledged. “But Republicans are united in our commitment to what we’re doing in this bill–securing our border, strengthening our national defense, and preventing tax hikes.”
Medicaid Flashpoint Splits GOP
Tillis has emerged as the face of moderate resistance, blasting the bill’s changes to Medicaid as a betrayal of Trump’s promise to protect the program. The bill adds work requirements, reduces provider tax rates, and shifts costs to states, which Tillis said would result in real harm to constituents. “What do I tell 663,000 people when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off Medicaid?” he asked.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), also on the fence, has called for the rural hospital relief fund to be increased from $25 billion to $100 billion to mitigate closures. Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wants deeper cuts, proposing an amendment that would slash the federal Medicaid match from 90% to as low as 50% for new expansion enrollees after 2030.
President Trump, while firmly behind the bill, has warned lawmakers not to “go too crazy” with cuts. “We’re going to make it through growth,” he told Fox News. “We’re going to make it so big.”
Deficit Fears Collide with Political Pressure
Sen. Rand Paul has staunchly opposed the bill’s $5 trillion debt ceiling hike, warning it would only fuel future deficits. “This bill will grow the deficit,” Paul declared on the floor. “It’s not a beautiful bill–it’s a big and dangerous one.”
Democrats have seized on the CBO’s traditional scoring, which puts the bill’s cost at $3.3 trillion over a decade, lambasting it as a handout to the rich. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Republicans of using “budget gimmicks” to obscure the bill’s true fiscal impact. “You can’t paper over the real-life consequences of adding tens of trillions to the debt,” he said.
However, Republicans argue that under a “current policy” baseline — assuming Trump’s tax cuts would have been renewed anyway — the bill reduces the deficit by over $500 billion. “Only in Washington is refusing to raise taxes seen as increasing the deficit,” said Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
House Dynamics Add Another Layer of Risk
Even if the Senate passes the bill by Tuesday, the path in the House is far from certain. Moderate Republicans, especially those representing states that have expanded Medicaid, are rebelling against the Senate’s deeper cuts. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) warned, “I will not support a final bill that punishes Medicaid expansion states.”
On the other flank, House Freedom Caucus members are demanding deeper cuts and the full repeal of President Biden’s green energy tax credits. “The Senate BBB has a deficit problem,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) posted Sunday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is attempting to maintain the fragile coalition, much like his Senate counterpart. Both chambers can afford no more than three defections.
Clock Ticking on Trump’s Independence Day Goal
The president has publicly tied the legislation’s passage to the July 4 holiday, calling it a “gift to the nation” and warning that the failure to make his tax cuts permanent would result in a “68% tax increase.” But in recent interviews, Trump acknowledged the risk of delay. “If we’re two days late or five days late, everybody says, ‘Oh, you had a tremendous failure,'” he said. “But I’ll be happy as long as we get it done.”
As the vote-a-rama rages on and Senate leaders scramble to lock down votes, the question remains: will Trump’s signature package survive the final hours of negotiation and make it to his desk by Independence Day?
For now, the only thing certain is uncertainty.
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