WASHINGTON, D.C. — After an all-night series of amendment votes that stretched into Tuesday morning, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill. The vote delivers a high-stakes legislative victory that reshapes the nation’s economic priorities and slashes critical social programs should it pass the U.S. House and be signed by President Trump.
The bill passed 51 to 50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. All Democrats and three Republicans, Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Thom Tillis, opposed the legislation.
Nicknamed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” by Trump loyalists, the package pairs trillions in tax cuts with increased funding for defense, border security, and energy production. Deep reductions to Medicaid and nutrition programs partly offset the cuts. The Congressional Budget Office projects the bill will add $3.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.
Partisan Blame Game Erupts as GOP Cheers, Democrats Condemn
Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Trump loyalist who voted yes, quickly attacked Biden after the narrow win.
“Every Senate Democrat must now explain why they voted to give 68% of American families a crippling tax hike— after punishing their voters with four years of skyrocketing Bidenflation,” he posted on X.
Senator Chuck Schumer condemned the Republicans for passing the bill, saying, “In one fell swoop, Republicans passed the biggest tax breaks for billionaires ever seen, paid for by ripping healthcare from millions of people and taking food away from the mouths of hungry kids.”
Democratic rising star in the U.S. House, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, quickly condemned the bill.
“Senate Republicans just passed Trump’s bullshit of a bill—and it’s even uglier than before. — At least 16 million could lose healthcare — Trillions will be added to the deficit — Hospitals will close — Children will go hungry. Now it comes back to the House. Democrats will be holding the line—because somebody has to fight for the folks they’re so quick to leave behind, including their own constituents.”
Despite concerns over its impact, Republican leaders pushed hard to secure support. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who had raised alarms about rural healthcare cuts, ultimately voted yes after a series of private talks with Majority Leader John Thune.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill’s Impact on Black Communities
Advocates warn the bill could disproportionately harm Black and Brown communities. Medicaid reductions threaten access to healthcare for millions already affected by systemic inequality.
“You cannot call yourself pro-life or pro-family while voting to starve children and bankrupt their parents. This bill is fiscal violence against American families,” said Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union.
“Stripping health care and food assistance from millions of people, while offering tax breaks to the wealthiest, is not just bad policy, it’s a betrayal of the American people. Any politician who thinks they can quietly vote to gut programs our families rely on is in for a rude awakening. Families across the country are ready to fight back.”
The bill slashes Medicaid and the ACA, putting 20 million Americans at risk of losing coverage. In Oklahoma, 138,000 people risk losing their medical coverage, and 156,000 risk losing their SNAP benefits. In North Carolina alone, an estimated 650,000 people could lose access to care. Missouri faces 265,000 at-risk residents, and West Virginia may see 82,000 residents affected.
“SNAP is the most effective, efficient, and essential anti-hunger program in the country, not just for families, but for local economies,” said Chris Bernard, CEO for Hunger Free Oklahoma. “These proposals don’t fix anything. The proposals are not about efficiency or effectiveness; they are simply designed to push people off or keep people from accessing a benefit to reach an arbitrary number of cost reductions.”
Overnight Maneuvers and Partisan Tactics
Democrats used one of the few tools available to slow the bill’s progress. They forced a full reading of the legislation, which lasted nearly 16 hours, and proposed dozens of amendments during a late-night “vote-a-rama” that continued into early Tuesday.
The amendments aimed to restore funding for rural hospitals, ease Medicaid eligibility restrictions, and eliminate tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. Lawmakers rejected all the proposals in party-line votes.
What Comes Next?
House lawmakers now take up the bill and are expected to approve the Senate’s changes this week. Democrats plan to hold the line. Trump wants the bill by Independence Day and plans to tout it as a campaign win.
This story is developing.
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