Senate Republicans are racing to pass a budget bill that is pivotal to President Donald Trump's second-term agenda ahead of a self-imposed 4 July deadline. Party leadership have been twisting arms for an initial vote on the "Big Beautiful Bill" by Saturday afternoon, following the release of its latest version - all 940 pages - shortly after midnight. Rank-and-file Republicans have been divided over how much to cut from welfare programmes in order to cover the cost of extending some $3.8tn (£2.8tn) in Trump tax breaks. The sprawling tax and spending measure narrowly passed the House of Representatives two weeks ago. The latest version is designed to appease some backbench Republican holdouts. It includes an increase in funding for rural hospitals, after some party moderates argued the original proposal would harm their constituents. Another tweak was made to State and Local Taxes (Salt) - a bone of contention for representatives from high-tax states such as New York. There is currently a $10,000 cap on how much taxpayers can deduct from the amount they owe in federal taxes. In the new bill, Senate Republicans have raised the Salt limit to $40,000 for married couples with incomes up to $500,000 - in line with what the House of Representatives approved. But the latest Senate version ends the $40,000 cap after five years - when it would drop back to $10,000. The legislation still contains some of its core components, including extending tax cuts passed by Republicans in 2017, as well as the addition of new cuts that Trump campaigned on, such as a tax deduction on Social Security benefits and the elimination of taxes on overtime work and tips. More contentious measures are also still in place, including restrictions and requirements on Medicaid - a healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income Americans. Trump has pressured Congress to pass the bill quickly. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called a possible Saturday vote "aspirational", and it is still unclear whether Republicans can advance the bill. One Republican senator from Wisconsin, Ron Johnson, told the Fox & Friends programme on Saturday he will be voting "no", saying he still needed time to read it. "We just got the bill," Johnson said. "I got my first copy at about 01:23 in the morning."
Senate Republicans scramble to pass Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'
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"Senate Republicans Push for Quick Vote on Trump's Budget Bill Ahead of July 4 Deadline"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Senate Republicans are in a rush to finalize a significant budget bill critical to President Donald Trump's agenda for his second term, with a self-imposed deadline set for July 4. The bill, informally known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," spans 940 pages and was released shortly after midnight. Party leadership is actively working to secure an initial vote by Saturday afternoon, despite evident divisions among rank-and-file members regarding the extent of cuts to welfare programs necessary to finance approximately $3.8 trillion in tax breaks advocated by Trump. The bill, which narrowly passed in the House of Representatives two weeks ago, attempts to address concerns from moderate Republicans by increasing funding for rural hospitals, a change prompted by worries that previous proposals would negatively impact their constituents. Additionally, the bill modifies the State and Local Taxes (Salt) deduction, raising the cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for married couples earning up to $500,000, which aligns with the House's approval but reverts back to $10,000 after five years.
The legislation retains several key components, including the extension of tax cuts enacted in 2017 and the introduction of new tax reductions that Trump pledged during his campaign, such as a tax deduction on Social Security benefits and the elimination of taxes on overtime work and tips. However, it also includes more controversial provisions, particularly regarding Medicaid, which provides healthcare to millions of vulnerable Americans, including the elderly and low-income individuals. Trump has urged Congress to expedite the bill's passage, but uncertainty remains regarding its advancement, as highlighted by Senate Majority Leader John Thune's comments about the aspirational nature of the Saturday vote. Republican Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin expressed his opposition, citing the need for more time to review the bill after receiving it in the early hours of the morning. The outcome of the vote and the potential repercussions of the proposed changes remain to be seen, as party leaders navigate the complexities of unifying their members to support the legislation.
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