Senators to begin morning vote on Trump's major tax, Medicaid, border bill

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WASHINGTON – The Senate begins voting at 9 a.m. on President Donald Trump's package of legislative priorities as Republicans try to thread the needle for tax cuts, Medicaid reforms and border security funding with a narrow majority.

Senators spent June 29 debating the 940-page bill before embarking on what is expected to be dozens of amendments. The whirlwind voting process is nicknamed a "vote-a-rama," which could last hours.

If the Senate approves the bill, the House will begin voting on it July 2. Trump has asked Congress to send him the bill by July 4.

The legislation cleared a key hurdle late June 28, receiving a tight 51-49 vote in the Senate that took more than three and a half hours while a handful of Republicans negotiated with Senate leaders, Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Still, that wasn't the final passage the bill needs to head to Trump's desk. Instead, after the vote, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, forced Senate clerks to read the entire 940-page bill rather than customarily waiving that chore.

Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has said he is uncertain whether enough Republicans will support the final version of their bill to send it back to the House. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina were the only Republican votes against debating the bill as written.

"We'll find out," Thune said.

Here is what has happened so far:

The bill is now read

The Senate clerk has finished reading the 940-page, foot-high Senate version of the Trump-backed bill. Next, there will be up to 20 hours of debate split evenly between the parties. 

Democrats are expected to use up most of their time, while Republicans are not. Once that is complete, the Senate will begin hearing potential amendments to the bill, most of which will likely fail.

A final vote on the bill is expected June 30 at the earliest.

– Sarah D. Wire

Tillis won't seek reelection

Tillis, one of the Republican senators who voted against moving Trump's legislation forward, announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026.

"As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven't exactly been excited about running for another term," he said, adding that retiring in a divided time for the nation was "not a hard choice."

Trump calls Tillis departure 'great news'

Trump welcomed Sen. Thom Tillis' decision not to seek reelection in 2026, after the president threatened to find a Republican primary opponent in North Carolina. Trump noted Tillis' opposition to the legislative package.

"Great News! 'Senator' Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection," Trump said in a social media post.

Tillis had said there was much to like in the bill but that it would cost his state tens of billions of dollars in Medicaid funding for lower-income families.

- Bart Jansen

Trump tax-cut bill could add $3.3 trillion to debt

The Congressional Budget Office, an independent, nonpartisan referee that analyzes the impact of legislation, said June 29 that Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill would add $3.3 trillion to the nation's debt over a decade.

The office previously found that Trump's plan would increase resources for middle and top earners at the expense of lower-income Americans.

– Medora Lee, Reuters

What is a vote-a-rama?

After debating Trump’s legislative package for up to 20 hours, senators will head into a whirlwind of voting on all the amendments that have stacked up by that point.

Former Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, coined the phrase “vote-a-rama.” Senators have held 45 such sessions since 1980, according to the Senate.

During the session, senators spend a couple of minutes reminding their colleagues what an amendment is about and then vote for 15 or 20 minutes. Then take up another, until everyone is exhausted.

The process can take hours but covers a wide variety of subjects that critics and supporters are trying to add or take away from the bill. The most amendments voted on was 44 in 2008, according to the Senate.

- Bart Jansen

'I hope the American people pay attention to it': Republicans promote spending bill

As the Senate clerk reads the text of the mega tax and spending bill June 29, Republicans took to Sunday morning new shows to discuss the legislation, which Democrats have lambasted as a giveaway to the rich at the expense of the rest of the country.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, said on "Meet the Press" that Republicans are happy the bill is being read aloud. "I hope the American people pay attention to it. I hope the Democrats pay attention to it because it's going to be very hard for them to argue about what this actually does," he said.

Sen. John Barasso, a Republican from Wyoming, told hosts of Fox News’ "Fox & Friends" that the bill means “lower taxes, lower prices, more jobs, better paying jobs, more money in people’s pockets.”

“That’s what the American people voted for. They rejected the Democrats last time because they were the party of high prices and open borders. They wanted Republicans to bring to them safety and prosperity, and that’s what this is all about,” Barasso said.

Recent surveys have found the bill to be unpopular with many Americans, and Democrats have said they are expect the bill to play a role in which party controls the chambers of Congress after the 2028 midterm elections.

– Sarah D. Wire

Tillis rails against Medicaid cuts in bill

Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced he wouldn’t seek reelection after opposing Trump’s bill, gave a fiery speech against Medicaid cuts in the legislative package.

Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said the bill postponed cuts for a couple of years but it would eventually threaten Medicaid coverage for 663,000 people in his state at a cost of $26 billion.

“The effect of this bill is to break a promise,” Tillis said.

- Bart Jansen

Tillis spends 38th anniversary voting against Trump bill

As a post script to his speech against Medicaid cuts, GOP Sen. Thom Tillis noted that June 28 – the day Tillis voted against beginning the debate and Trump threatened his political future – was his 38th wedding anniversary when the rest of his family was on a beach in North Carolina.

“God bless my family,” Tillis said. “I love you.”

- Bart Jansen

Senators debate cost of Trump bill as 'fake math' or 'historic'

The Senate debate on Trump’s tax-cut and policy bill began with a fundamental argument about how much it will cost.

A central part of the bill would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that will cost $4 trillion over a decade.Republicans aren’t counting that cost by arguing that continuing current policy shouldn’t count as additional spending. But Democrats note the budget bills have never been calculated that way.

“Republicans are doing something the Senate has never, never done before: deploying fake math and accounting gimmicks to hide the true cost of their bill,” said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the longest-serving Democrat on the Budget Committee and a former preschool teacher, said even the youngest children know the difference between a trillion and zero.

“It doesn’t take a preschooler to tell you they’re using magic math,” Murray said. “Suddenly a couple of trillion goes away with a sprinkle of fairy dust.”

But Republicans said counting costs is up the Budget Committee, which is headed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina. He argued that nobody expects tax policies to simply expire without a change in law, so extending them without additional cost makes sense.

“What we’re doing here is historic – in a good way,” Graham said. “It’s a good thing for the economy because it gives you certainty.”

- Bart Jansen

Senators thank staffers for working overnight to read bill

In the caustic fight over Trump’s tax and policy bill, one thing senators agreed upon was to thank staffers who read the bill’s 940 pages out loud from about 11 a.m. on June 28 to 3 p.m. on June 29.

“I want them to know that the Senate appreciates their dedication, their stamina and their service,” Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said in opening the debate after the reading.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, who forced the reading, also voiced his appreciation.

“You are the unsung heroes of what goes on here,” Schumer said. “Thank you for your dedication, your excellence, your perseverance, your strength.”

- Bart Jansen

Democrats say they're making their case

Rather than a vote this weekend as expected, Senate Democrats demanded a full reading of Republican’s tax and spending bill on the Senate floor. That will likely push the vote to Monday – when more Americans could be paying attention.

Senate clerks are slightly more than halfway through the 940-page version of the Trump-backed mega-bill. Then there will be multi-hour voting on amendments to change the bill, many of which are expected to fail.

“I think we’ve been effective in getting what’s in this god-awful bill out into the public,” Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, said on CNN’s "State of the Union" on June 29. “I think this will be a political albatross.”

A raft of new surveys that came out last week indicate that the GOP is losing the battle of public opinion over the bill.

Democrats have branded it as a tax give away for the rich in exchange for cutting Medicare and other social safety net programs like food assistance and free or reduced priced school lunches for the rest of the country.

Republicans have said the bill is necessary for economic growth and includes massive spending for the military and immigration enforcement.

– Sarah D. Wire

Senator Kelly calls Trump bill a 's--- sandwich'

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, doesn’t like the taste of Trump’s legislative package of priorities.

“This bill is a s--- sandwich and not even the bread is any good,” Kelly said on social media. “It’s a collection of the worst policies. It takes away people’s health care and food assistance, gives a giant tax cut to rich people, and adds trillions to our debt.”

- Bart Jansen

Trump supports Senate strategy on tax-cut costs

Trump praised the strategy the Senate is using to ignore the $4 trillion cost of extending the 2017 tax cuts.

Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough was expected to rule that the cost of extending the tax cuts had to be counted. She has already ruled several significant provisions, including several dealing with Medicaid, don't deserve protection from the filibuster in the debate.

But Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, took the preemptive action of raising an objection to his own bill. To open debate, he questioned how the bill’s costs were calculated.

"This is an issue I think we need to deal with right off the bat," Thune said.

The presiding officer, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, cited the Budget Act and Senate precedents. He ruled that the Budget Committee chairman determines the cost. This is what Republicans agreed before bringing the bill to the floor.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, challenged that ruling, demanding a vote. Fellow Democrats called the strategy “fake math” and “fairy dust.”

But Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber so they are expected to win the vote. Trump endorsed the strategy.

“An unelected Senate Staffer (Parliamentarian), should not be allowed to hurt the Republicans Bill,” Trump wrote on social media. “Wants many fantastic things out. NO!”

- Bart Jansen

Which Republicans voted against Trump's bill? The president blasts GOP lawmakers

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to criticize the GOP lawmakers who voted against moving his major tax bill forward – Tillis and Paul.

"Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against “Senator Thom” Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America," Trump said.

Trump had a shorter message for Paul, a longtime GOP lawmaker from Kentucky: "Did Rand Paul Vote “NO” again tonight? What’s wrong with this guy???"

– Marina Pitofsky

Where can I read Trump's bill?

Looking to read Trump's bill yourself? You can find the document, which is hundreds of pages long, here.

If you're looking for the top takeaways on the sweeping piece of legislation, Paste BN's Savannah Kuchar breaks down what's actually in it – and how it would impact Americans from coast to coast – here.

– Marina Pitofsky

What are the cuts to Medicaid in the bill?

Medicaid, which provides health insurance to more than 71 million low-income Americans, has been a regular point of contention for both chambers grappling with the legislation.

After the House narrowly approved big changes to the program that would save at least $625 billion − and potentially cause 7.6 million Americans over the next 10 years to lose their health insurance − the Senate sought even deeper cuts.

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough axed a handful of changes from the Senate bill, including prohibiting coverage for non-citizens and barring funds for gender-affirming care. The upper chamber's legislation maintains new work requirements and increased eligibility checks.

The Senate plan seeks to force able-bodied adults to work 80 hours per month until age 65 to qualify for benefits, but it does include exemptions for parents or guardians of children under 14 and those with disabilities.

– Savannah Kuchar

What's in the bill for seniors?

The Senate proposed a $6,000 “bonus deduction” for those aged 65 and older, but eligibility is capped at $75,000 in income for single filers and $150,000 for couples. 

The deduction would be available from 2025 through 2028, and would supplement, but not replace, the existing extra standard deduction already available to older adults. For 2025, a single filer age 65 or older can claim an extra $2,000, while married couples filing jointly can add $1,600 for each spouse over 65 in addition to the standard deduction available to all taxpayers.

The House agreed on a $4,000 bonus deduction with similar eligibility parameters and duration.

– Medora Lee

What does Trump say about the Senate version of the bill?

The Trump administration “strongly supports” the Senate version of the bill, in a White House Office of Management and Budget statement June 28.The statement isn’t intended to favor the Senate version over the House version on any particular provision, but to signal Trump would sign it if approved by Congress. The two-page statement highlighted provisions for tax cuts, border security, energy and defense.

“President Trump is committed to keeping his promises, and failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal," the statement said. 

−Bart Jansen

What is a procedural vote?

You may have seen the Senate's decision to begin their debate on the massive, Trump-backed legislation labeled a "procedural vote." But what does that mean?

Not all votes in the House and Senate mean Congress is signing off on a bill and sending it to the president's desk. Sometimes lawmakers simply vote to begin the process of considering legislation – or they vote on amendments, rules of debate and more.

Keep up with Paste BN's live coverage as we track the Senate's path toward a final vote.

– Marina Pitofsky

Trump allies call for Senate parliamentarian to be removed. Who is Elizabeth MacDonough?

Republican are calling for the Senate's parliamentarian to be fired after she ruled that several Medicaid provisions must be taken out of Trump’s tax, spending and policy bill, spelling trouble for the president and his party as they try to get the legislation signed into law by a self-imposed July 4 deadline.

The chamber's leading rules expert, Elizabeth MacDonough, sided on June 26 against the inclusion of provisions that the GOP wanted to put in the bill aimed at reducing spending on Medicaid by requiring work from able-bodied adults and denying access to non-citizens.

That didn't go over well with deficit hawks trying to secure for Trump his biggest legislative win of his second term.

For now, it appears MacDonough's job is secure: Thune told reporters the GOP had no plans to overrule its parliamentarian, let alone fire her.

– Sudiksha Kochi

GOP senators raise – and some resolve – concerns about bill

Why did Tillis and Paul refuse to back Trump's bill? Paul, who golfed with Trump that afternoon, opposed the bill's spending levels. Tillis voiced concerns about Medicaid cuts costing his state tens of billions of dollars.

Trump threatened to find a Republican primary opponent for Tillis in 2026.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, initially voted no on starting the debate. But he flipped his vote at the last minute rather than force a tie that Vice President JD Vance was on hand to break.

GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Rick Scott of Florida were the last to vote, each saying yes after hours of talks with leadership. Along the way, Lee withdrew a contentious provision that Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, threatened to oppose the legislation over.

− Bart Jansen

Elon Musk called bill 'political suicide' for hurting jobs, economy

Billionaire Elon Musk, Trump’s former adviser on cutting government spending, fired off another set of attacks against the president’s legislative package for potentially killing millions of jobs.

Musk had quieted his harsh criticism of Trump and the legislation the week after his departure from government May 30. But he blasted the bill again as the Senate prepared to debate it.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk said June 28 on social media. “Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

Musk added another post warning the GOP of the electoral risks if they vote for the Trump-backed legislation that is not polling well with Republicans.

−Bart Jansen

What's in the Senate version of Trump's bill? Does it include no tax on tips?

The largest provisions in the legislation would extend expiring tax cuts and create a few new ones, and a dramatic increasing in spending on border security.

The heart of the legislation would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts which are set to expire at end of the year. Republicans have said defeat of the measure would lead to a $4 trillion tax hike over the next decade.

New tax deductions Trump campaigned on would apply to tips for employees such as waiters through 2028 and for overtime pay. The Senate capped the deduction at $25,000 and weakened the break for individuals with income above $150,000.

For border security, the bill would increase funding about $150 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. The bill authorizes $45 billion for new detention centers as Trump ramps up arrests and $27 billion for a mass deportation campaign.

A crucial provision would increase the amount the country can borrow by $5 trillion. The country's debt is already approaching $37 trillion and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned the current limit on borrowing will be reached in August.Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Republican holdout on the bill, said he wouldn't vote for the bill unless the debt limit gets a separate vote. But Republican leaders want to keep the unpopular vote within the overall package.

−Bart Jansen