Vance saves the day: Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill clears Senate

In a high-stakes legislative battle, Senate Republicans narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s ambitious tax and spending cuts package, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote in a 50-50 deadlock.

The 940-page bill, a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda, now heads to the House for final approval as Republican leaders race to meet the president’s self-imposed July 4 deadline.

The vote saw three Republican senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, join Democrats in opposition, citing concerns over the bill’s $3.3 trillion addition to the national debt and deep cuts to Medicaid, projected to leave 11.8 million Americans uninsured by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

“The big not so beautiful bill has passed,” Paul remarked post-vote, reflecting his dissent over the $5 trillion debt ceiling increase.

The legislation extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, introduces new breaks on tips and overtime, and allocates $350 billion for national security, including border security and mass deportation initiatives.

However, it offsets these with significant reductions to Medicaid, SNAP, and clean energy incentives, sparking fierce debate.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune navigated a grueling “vote-a-rama,” securing last-minute support from holdouts like Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska through concessions, such as a $25 billion rural hospital fund and Alaska-specific provisions like tax breaks for whaling captains.

Trump, speaking at a new migrant detention facility in Florida nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” expressed confidence in the Senate outcome.

“Did they take the vote yet?” he asked reporters, adding, “I hear the vote’s going to be good. You’ll let me know.”

He later called the passage “music to my ears,” praising Vance’s tie-breaking role.

House GOP leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, and Chairwoman Lisa McClain, vowed swift action.

“The House will work quickly to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill that enacts President Trump’s full America First agenda by the Fourth of July,” they stated, emphasizing priorities like border security, permanent tax cuts, and reduced spending.

“The American people gave us a clear mandate, and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay.”

However, the bill faces challenges in the House, where a 220-212 Republican majority leaves little room for defections.

The Senate’s version, adding $800 billion more to the deficit than the House’s May-passed bill, has drawn criticism from fiscal hawks and moderates concerned about Medicaid cuts and changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, now temporarily raised to $40,000.

Elon Musk, a former Trump ally, has also opposed the bill, calling it “utterly insane and destructive” on X for its impact on green energy and potential job losses.