US Senators have spent more than 24 hours negotiating amendments to a mega-bill on tax and spending that appears to have stalled without enough votes to pass. Four Republicans in the Senate have said they cannot support the nearly 1,000 page legislation as it stands, but with a slim margin of control the party needs to win over only one senator. Once the bill passes the Senate, it will need to return to the House of Representatives where it faces another tough battle as Republicans control the chamber by only a few votes. While President Donald Trump previously told Congress he wanted the legislation on his desk by 4 July, on Tuesday he conceded it would be "very hard" to meet that deadline. Republicans appear to have, for now, lost the support of four Republicans: Maine's Susan Collins, North Carolina's Thom Tillis, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski and Kentucky's Rand Paul. As they can only have three defectors, Vice-President JD Vance arrived on Capitol Hill just after 6:00 EST (11:00 GMT) to cast tie-breaking votes. He helped push one amendment over a tight margin, and he is expected to play a key role in the bill's fate. The amendments process is wrapping up and Republican Senate leadership are conversing and negotiating with their dissenters to get the necessary number of votes. Leadership will not bring the bill to a final vote until they have the numbers they need. It's unclear when that could happen. The bill - essential to Trump's second-term agenda - would extend large tax cuts the president put in place during his first term. To make up for that loss of revenue, Republicans want to cut spending from a variety of programmes, including healthcare for lower-income Americans and food subsidies. But within the Senate, Republicans disagree on where those cuts should come from. Trump previously requested that the Republican-controlled Congress send him a final version of the bill to sign into law by Friday. But following more than 24 hours of debate over amendments to the bill, called a vote-a-rama, which underscores clear divisions over the bill, he softened his tone on the 4 July deadline. "I'd love to do July 4th but I think it's very hard to do July 4th…. I would say maybe July 4th or somewhere around there," Trump told reporters as he was departing the White House. In May, the House of Representatives passed their version of a budget bill by a one-vote margin. When the legislation arrived in the Senate, Republicans made numerous changes to it. So when the bill does pass the Senate, it will need to go back to the House of Representatives for another vote, where Republicans are expected another uphill battle. Democrats in both chambers do not support the bill and in the Senate they have attempted to throw some obstacles in the way of its passage.
US Senate Republicans struggle to push Trump's budget bill over finish line
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"Republican Senators Face Challenges in Passing Trump's Budget Bill"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
US Senators have been engaged in more than 24 hours of intense negotiations regarding a comprehensive tax and spending mega-bill that is currently facing significant hurdles in gaining enough support to pass. Four Republican senators, namely Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have publicly stated their opposition to the nearly 1,000-page legislation in its current form. This situation poses a challenge for the Republican party, which holds a slim majority in the Senate and can only afford to lose three votes. Vice-President JD Vance has arrived on Capitol Hill to assist in this critical juncture, casting tie-breaking votes and playing a pivotal role in navigating through the contentious amendments process. Republican Senate leadership is actively negotiating with dissenting members to secure the necessary votes before calling for a final vote on the bill, although it remains uncertain when this might occur.
The legislation is crucial for President Donald Trump’s agenda for a potential second term, aiming to extend significant tax cuts enacted during his first term. To offset the anticipated loss in revenue from these tax cuts, the bill proposes cuts to various programs, including healthcare for lower-income individuals and food assistance. However, there are notable divisions within the Republican party regarding where these cuts should be implemented. Initially, Trump had expressed a desire to have the bill finalized by July 4, but after prolonged discussions and the evident challenges in reaching a consensus, he has revised his expectations. He acknowledged the difficulties in meeting this deadline, suggesting a more flexible timeline. The House of Representatives had previously passed their version of the budget bill by a slim margin, and should the Senate eventually approve it, the bill will return to the House for another vote, where it is anticipated to encounter further obstacles, especially considering the lack of support from Democrats in both chambers. This ongoing legislative battle underscores the complexities and divisions within the Republican party as they strive to advance their fiscal agenda.
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