The U.S. Senate has narrowly advanced debate on President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget proposal, a pivotal piece of his second-term economic agenda, following a tight 51–49 procedural vote on Saturday night.
The nearly 1,000-page bill, dubbed by Trump as his “Big Beautiful Bill,” aims to lock in $3.8 trillion worth of tax cuts, expand deductions for Social Security, and eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay. However, it has drawn fierce criticism from Democrats and sparked internal GOP disputes over deep cuts to welfare and healthcare programs, particularly Medicaid.
Despite intense lobbying from Republican leaders, two GOP senators, Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Thom Tillis (North Carolina), joined Democrats in opposition. Paul opposed raising the debt ceiling, while Tillis cited potentially severe cuts to healthcare funding for his state.
Trump celebrated the progress online, while attacking dissenters, particularly Rand Paul, questioning his loyalty to the agenda. Vice President JD Vance was on standby for a tie-breaking vote, but it proved unnecessary after Republican holdouts including Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) shifted to support the motion.
The bill’s final vote in the Senate is expected in the coming days. With Republicans holding 53 seats, they can afford only three defections. If passed, the measure will return to the House, where some members remain wary of changes made in the Senate to win over skeptical lawmakers.
Democrats are deploying procedural tactics to delay progress. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has demanded that the full bill be read aloud, accusing Republicans of trying to rush through “radical” legislation under the radar.
“This bill includes the largest healthcare cuts in history,” Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) posted on social media. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that nearly 8 million Americans could lose health coverage if the bill’s Medicaid reforms are enacted.
Adding to the controversy, entrepreneur Elon Musk criticized the bill’s proposed taxes on renewable energy projects, claiming it would damage job growth and national competitiveness.
While some revisions, such as increased rural hospital funding and temporary exemptions for Alaska and Hawaii from new food assistance cost-sharing rules, have softened opposition from key Republican moderates, the legislation remains deeply divisive.
White House officials have urged swift passage, warning in an internal memo that failure to approve the bill “would be the ultimate betrayal” of Trump’s second-term promises.
As the July 4 self-imposed deadline approaches, the bill’s fate remains uncertain, hinging on the GOP’s ability to hold its narrow coalition together amid pressure from both ends of the political spectrum.
