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Senate passes Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie
Senate passes Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

Japan Today

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Japan Today

Senate passes Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

In this image from video from Senate Television, Vice President JD Vance, seated center, breaks a 50-50 tie to push President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill over the top, on the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol, on Tuesday. By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of margins, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session. The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president's signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval or collapse. In the end that tally was 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators — Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined all Democrats in voting against it. "The big not so beautiful bill has passed,' Paul said after the vote. The difficulty it took for Republicans, who have the majority hold in Congress, to wrestle the bill to this point is not expected to let up. The package now goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump's Fourth of July deadline. The outcome is a pivotal moment for president and his party, which have been consumed by the 940-page 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' as it's formally titled, and invested their political capital in delivering on the GOP's sweep of power in Washington. Trump acknowledged it's 'very complicated stuff,' as he departed the White House for Florida. 'I don't want to go too crazy with cuts," he said. "I don't like cuts.' What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting, in a process called vote-a-rama, spiraled into a round-the-clock slog as Republican leaders were buying time to shore up support. The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, amid exhaustion. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was desperately reaching for last-minute agreements between those in his party worried the bill's reductions to Medicaid will leave millions without care, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts. The GOP leaders have no room to spare, with narrow majorities. Thune could lose no more than three Republican senators, and two — Tillis, who warned that millions of people will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Paul, who opposes raising the debt limit by $5 trillion — had already indicated opposition. Attention quickly turned to two other key senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins, who also raised concerns about health care cuts, as well as a loose coalition of four conservative GOP senators pushing for even steeper reductions. Murkowski in particular became the subject of the GOP leadership's attention, as they sat beside her for talks. She was huddled intensely for more than an hour in the back of the chamber with others, scribbling notes on papers. Then all eyes were on Paul after he returned from a visit to Thune's office with a stunning offer that could win his vote. He had suggested substantially lowering the bill's increase in the debt ceiling, according to two people familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said 'Republicans are in shambles because they know the bill is so unpopular." An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade. And on social media, billionaire Elon Musk was again lashing out at Republicans as 'the PORKY PIG PARTY!!' for including the $5 trillion debt ceiling in the package, which is needed to allow continued borrowing to pay the bills. Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerged, in either the House or the Senate. Collins had proposed bolstering the $25 billion proposed rural hospital fund to $50 billion, offset with a higher tax rate on those earning more than $25 million a year, but her amendment failed. And Murkowski was trying to secure provisions to spare people in her state from some food stamp cuts, which appeared to be accepted, while she was also working to beef up federal reimbursements to hospitals in Alaska and others states, that did not comply with parliamentary rules. All told, the Senate bill includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis, making permanent Trump's 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips. The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide. It would impose $1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states. Additionally, the bill would provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants. Unable to stop the march toward passage, the Democrats tried to drag out the process, including with a weekend reading of the full bill. A few of the Democratic amendments won support from a few Republicans, though almost none passed. More were considered in one of the longer such sessions in modern times. One amendment overwhelmingly approved stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence if they receive certain federal funding. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump's first term are now 'current policy' and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits. She said that kind of 'magic math' won't fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books. Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Darelene Superville and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' passes Senate with Vance breaking tie
Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' passes Senate with Vance breaking tie

Global News

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Global News

Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' passes Senate with Vance breaking tie

Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of margins, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session. The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president's signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval or collapse. In the end that tally was 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators — Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined all Democrats in voting against it. 'The big not so beautiful bill has passed,' Paul said after the vote. The difficulty it took for Republicans, who have the majority hold in Congress, to wrestle the bill to this point is not expected to let up. The package now goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump's Fourth of July deadline. Story continues below advertisement The outcome is a pivotal moment for president and his party, which have been consumed by the 940-page 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' as it's formally titled, and invested their political capital in delivering on the GOP's sweep of power in Washington. Trump acknowledged it's 'very complicated stuff,' as he departed the White House for Florida. 'I don't want to go too crazy with cuts,' he said. 'I don't like cuts.' View image in full screen In this image from video from Senate Television, Vice President JD Vance, seated center, breaks a 50-50 tie to push President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill over the top, on the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Washington. (Senate Television via AP). What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting, in a process called vote-a-rama, spiraled into a round-the-clock slog as Republican leaders were buying time to shore up support. The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, amid exhaustion. Story continues below advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was desperately reaching for last-minute agreements between those in his party worried the bill's reductions to Medicaid will leave millions without care, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The GOP leaders have no room to spare, with narrow majorities. Thune could lose no more than three Republican senators, and two — Tillis, who warned that millions of people will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Paul, who opposes raising the debt limit by US$5 trillion — had already indicated opposition. Attention quickly turned to two other key senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins, who also raised concerns about health care cuts, as well as a loose coalition of four conservative GOP senators pushing for even steeper reductions. Murkowski in particular became the subject of the GOP leadership's attention, as they sat beside her for talks. She was huddled intensely for more than an hour in the back of the chamber with others, scribbling notes on papers. Then all eyes were on Paul after he returned from a visit to Thune's office with a stunning offer that could win his vote. He had suggested substantially lowering the bill's increase in the debt ceiling, according to two people familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it. Story continues below advertisement Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said 'Republicans are in shambles because they know the bill is so unpopular.' An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly US$3.3 trillion over the decade. And on social media, billionaire Elon Musk was again lashing out at Republicans as 'the PORKY PIG PARTY!!' for including the US$5 trillion debt ceiling in the package, which is needed to allow continued borrowing to pay the bills. Senators insist on changes Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerged, in either the House or the Senate. Collins had proposed bolstering the US$25 billion proposed rural hospital fund to US$50 billion, offset with a higher tax rate on those earning more than US$25 million a year, but her amendment failed. Story continues below advertisement And Murkowski was trying to secure provisions to spare people in her state from some food stamp cuts, which appeared to be accepted, while she was also working to beef up federal reimbursements to hospitals in Alaska and others states, that did not comply with parliamentary rules. What's in the big bill All told, the Senate bill includes US$4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis, making permanent Trump's 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips. The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide. It would impose US$1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states. Story continues below advertisement Additionally, the bill would provide a US$350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants. Democrats fighting all day and night Unable to stop the march toward passage, the Democrats tried to drag out the process, including with a weekend reading of the full bill. A few of the Democratic amendments won support from a few Republicans, though almost none passed. More were considered in one of the longer such sessions in modern times. One amendment overwhelmingly approved stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence if they receive certain federal funding. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump's first term are now 'current policy' and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits. Story continues below advertisement She said that kind of 'magic math' won't fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books. –Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Darelene Superville and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Cory Booker Nears Senate Record—Passing 19 Hours—For Speech Blasting Trump
Cory Booker Nears Senate Record—Passing 19 Hours—For Speech Blasting Trump

Forbes

time01-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Forbes

Cory Booker Nears Senate Record—Passing 19 Hours—For Speech Blasting Trump

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., took the Senate floor at 7 p.m. EDT Monday night to attack President Donald Trump's policies and promised to stand and talk 'as long as I am physically able' as a way to 'recognize the urgency' of the moment—and the senator was still speaking 19 hours later as of 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday afternoon. In this image provided by Senate Television, Sen, Cory Booker, D-N.J. speaks on the Senate floor, ... More Tuesday morning, April 1, 2025. (Senate Television via AP) Booker said on social media he aimed 'to lift the voices of Americans who are being harmed and not being heard in this moment of crisis.' His speech—which reportedly stands at the sixth-longest in Senate history—Booker criticized the Trump administration for 'putting profits over people,' 'trying to gut Medicaid and Medicare,' threatening changes to social security, dismantling the Education Department, accidentally deporting a Maryland resident and more. Booker has yielded to questions from other Democrats to get a break from speaking, but has not given up the floor and remained standing to comply with Senate rules, the Associated Press reported. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. 'I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble'—a reference to the expression used by civil rights leader and politician Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.—'I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able,' Booker said Monday night. 'I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.' Technically, no. According to the Senate, filibuster is a 'loosely defined term for action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question.' No legislation or nomination is actually being blocked. Booker took the floor at 7 p.m. EDT Monday night and was still talking 19 hours later at 2 p.m. EDT. Sen. Strom Thurmond, a lawmaker from South Carolina who was a Democrat before switching parties, holds the record for the longest speech from an individual on the Senate floor. In 1957, he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes to protest the Civil Rights Act of 1957. There have been longer speeches and all-night sessions throughout the Senate's history, but many have included multiple lawmakers. Booker was first elected as a senator in 2013 as part of a special election, and prior to that he served as mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He had an unsuccessful run for president in 2020 and dropped out of the race after he failed to meet the requirements for a debate in January 2020. Booker, 55, is a former Stanford University football player, which one of his colleagues, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., credited for his ability to hold the floor for so many hours. 52,711. That's how many people were watching Booker's livestreamed speech on YouTube as he hit the 19-hour mark at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The Senator's X page showed there have been more than 374,000 views on his livestream as of 2 p.m. EDT, as well. New Jersey Sen. Booker presses his marathon speech against Trump's agenda past 18 hours and counting (Associated Press) Cory Booker's marathon speech ranks among the Senate's longest (Axios)

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