The Senate, controlled by Republicans, has moved forward with President Donald Trump’s major legislative initiative, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The bill passed a key procedural vote on Saturday with a narrow 51 to 49 margin. In a surprising turn, two Republican senators joined all Democrats in opposing the measure.
This bill is a top priority for Trump, who has urged his party to push it through quickly. He hopes to have it on his desk by July 4, which is the United States’ Independence Day. Trump monitored the vote from the Oval Office, according to a senior White House official.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a hefty 940 pages long, was released just before midnight on Friday, leaving senators scrambling to understand its contents. Among its provisions, the bill proposes a $150 billion increase in military spending and allocates funds for mass deportations and border wall construction. To finance these initiatives, it suggests cuts to Medicare and the Clean Energy funding program, which incentivizes renewable energy and was established under former President Joe Biden.
With a Senate majority of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, every Republican vote is crucial. The vote on Saturday faced delays as three Republican senators—Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson, and Rand Paul—initially opposed the bill. However, after negotiations, Johnson changed his vote to yes, leaving only Tillis and Paul against it.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized the process, claiming Republicans rushed the bill’s introduction to avoid public scrutiny. He emphasized the potential long-term consequences of the bill, arguing it could burden future generations with massive debt, leading to higher costs for everyday Americans.
If the Senate passes the bill, it will go back to the House of Representatives, where Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes. They are facing internal disagreements, particularly regarding the proposed cuts to Medicaid, which could impact many rural hospitals and leave millions without healthcare.
Nonpartisan analysts warn that the bill could add trillions to the national debt, currently at $36.2 trillion, and facilitate a wealth transfer from the poorest Americans to the richest. Recent polls indicate widespread unpopularity of the bill across various demographic groups.
Elon Musk, who has publicly criticized the bill, reiterated his concerns on Saturday. He described the legislation as "utterly insane and destructive," warning it could lead to job losses and harm the country’s future. Musk suggested that supporting this bill could be detrimental to the Republican Party’s political prospects.