The US Senate is locked in an intense, round-the-clock session debating President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget proposal, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a massive spending plan that faces internal Republican resistance and unified Democratic opposition. With a self-imposed July 4 deadline looming, the bill remains precariously balanced after weeks of negotiations.
The nearly 1,000-page legislation, which includes $3.8 trillion in tax cuts and authorizes $5 trillion in new borrowing, has exposed stark divisions within the Republican Party, particularly over how deeply to slash welfare programs to pay for extended tax breaks. Proposed cuts could see up to 12 million Americans lose health insurance, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will add $3.3 trillion to the national debt.
Senators on Monday engaged in a procedural marathon known as “vote-a-rama,” debating amendments and making last-ditch efforts to shape the bill. The session was expected to last overnight into Tuesday. Two GOP senators, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have already broken ranks, citing concerns over Medicaid cuts and debt increases.
Tillis, who later announced he would not seek re-election, criticized the legislation as a betrayal of campaign promises. “Too many elected officials are motivated by raw politics,” he wrote. The White House rebuffed his claims, calling them “just wrong.”
Democrats have slammed the bill for targeting low-income Americans and favoring the wealthy, with Senator Adam Schiff calling it “terrible.” As part of a delay tactic, Democrats forced the full reading of the bill on Sunday, taking 16 hours.
Despite the discord, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said negotiators were “still perfecting a few things,” including a controversial Medicaid amendment proposed by Senator Rick Scott that could affect 20 million Americans.
If the bill passes the Senate—requiring no more than three GOP defections, it will return to the House for approval. However, opposition is growing among House Republicans, particularly the conservative Freedom Caucus, which slammed the Senate version for adding $650 billion to the deficit.
Meanwhile, tech billionaire Elon Musk has pledged to finance challenges against Republicans who back the bill, even threatening to launch a new political party, “The America Party,” in response to what he called “insane spending.”
The bill includes Trump’s signature tax proposals: deductions on Social Security benefits and the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime. It also imposes stricter eligibility for Medicaid and food assistance programs, shifting more costs to states starting in 2028.
With the national debt now exceeding $36 trillion, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged lawmakers to act on the debt ceiling by mid-July or risk a default by August.
The final Senate vote is expected late Monday or early Tuesday. If passed, the bill will head back to a divided House, where its fate remains uncertain.
