Senate debates Trump's "big, beautiful bill" ahead of "vote-a-rama"

Senate works to kickstart Trump's fund program

Senate works to kickstart Trump's legislative docket that could interaction millions 02:20

Washington — The Senate is debating President Trump's monolithic taxation measure Sunday up of what's expected to beryllium a marathon overnight league arsenic the enclosure efforts to walk the centerpiece legislation of Mr. Trump's 2nd word agenda.

The House narrowly passed the measure past month, and Senate Republicans person since been moving to enactment their people connected the legislation, treading cautiously truthful arsenic not to propulsion disconnected the delicate equilibrium successful the little chamber. The House volition request to o.k. the Senate's changes to the measure earlier it tin caput to the president's table for his signature. And lawmakers are moving quickly, with a self-imposed July 4 deadline to get the measurement signed. 

The Senate has been moving done the play arsenic the GOP nears a last sprint connected the authorities up of the deadline. Known arsenic "One Big, Beautiful Bill," the authorities includes accrued spending for borderline security, defence and vigor production, which are offset successful portion by cuts to healthcare and nutrition programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimated Sunday that the authorities would summation the shortage by astir $3.3 trillion implicit the adjacent decade.

Senate Republicans voted to advance the authorities precocious Saturday, with each but 2 Republicans voting successful favour pursuing hours of hold arsenic the GOP worked to robust retired last-minute details and dispel interest among holdouts. The ballot connected the question to proceed stayed unfastened for much than 3 hours arsenic holdouts sought assurances from GOP leaders and adjacent immoderate tweaks were made to the measure earlier Republicans yet received capable votes to determination forward.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks to reporters aft leaving the Senate Chambers successful the U.S. Capitol connected June 23, 2025 successful Washington, DC.  Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Senate Democrats further delayed the legislation's way guardant by forcing the measure to beryllium work successful its entirety, starting precocious Saturday. After astir 16 hours, the Senate clerks concluded their speechmaking of the measure connected the floor, starting the timepiece connected debate. Each broadside present has 10 hours for debate, of which Democrats are expected to usage each of their clip to obstruction against the legislation. 

Senate Republicans person been pursuing the authorities done the fund reconciliation process, which allows the enactment successful the bulk to determination up without enactment from crossed the aisle. With lone a elemental bulk required to beforehand the legislation, alternatively than the 60-votes needed to determination guardant with astir legislation, Senate Democrats person fewer mechanisms to combat the bill's progress. 

Following debate, the Senate is acceptable to statesman a "vote-a-rama," successful which senators could connection an unlimited fig of amendments and unit the enclosure to formed ballot aft ballot done the night. Democrats are expected to usage the accidental to enactment their GOP colleagues connected the grounds connected a fig of arguable issues up of the midterm elections.

With a 53-seat majority, Senate GOP leaders tin lone spend to suffer enactment from 3 Republicans — which would inactive necessitate a tie-breaking ballot from Vice President JD Vance. And though a fig of senators who had expressed absorption to the measurement yet decided to beforehand it Saturday, however they volition ballot connected the measurement successful a last ballot remains unclear. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Saturday that "it's clip to get this authorities crossed the decorativeness line," adding that "53 members volition ne'er hold connected each item of legislation." But helium urged that Republicans are "united successful our committedness to what we're doing successful this bill."

Vance was connected manus to interruption a imaginable necktie ballot Saturday, though his ballot yet wasn't needed. Still, the vice president met with GOP holdouts successful the bulk leader's bureau Saturday arsenic the White House has enactment unit connected lawmakers to get the measure crossed the decorativeness line.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, warned Sunday that the authorities would beryllium a "political albatross" for Republicans, portion suggesting that the measure could adjacent suffer enactment among the GOP, saying "it's not implicit until it's over."

"I deliberation galore of my Republican friends cognize they're walking the plank connected this, and we'll spot if those who've expressed quiescent consternation volition really person the courageousness of their conviction," Warner said Sunday connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."