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Republicans race toward crucial vote on Trump megabill despite uncertainties

19 1
28.06.2025

Senate Republicans are racing into a crucial weekend in their effort to pass President Trump’s mammoth tax and spending bill despite not knowing whether they have the votes to advance it or what some aspects of the final package will look like.

GOP leaders are eyeing an initial procedural vote Saturday afternoon to kick off floor consideration of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” If it clears a simple majority threshold, the chamber would debate the bill before moving to a “vote-a-rama,” during which unlimited amendments can be brought to the floor, before a final vote.

Senate Republican leaders took a big step forward when they unveiled most of the final version of bill text shortly before midnight on Friday, reflecting changes required by the Senate parliamentarian and negotiations among various groups.

But whether they’ll be able to clear that simple majority is a major question, leaving leadership hustling to court the holdouts.

“We will find out tomorrow,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said with a laugh on Friday when asked if he has the votes.

Republicans can lose no more than three members, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has long said he is opposed to the bill as long as the $5 trillion debt ceiling hike is included.

Beyond that, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) loudly proclaimed on Friday that he is a “no” on proceeding to the bill over the Senate’s planned rollback of an existing federal cap on provider taxes, a deeper cut to Medicaid than the freeze in the House-passed measure that Tillis prefers.

Without changes, he insisted he would vote against it, saying it

© The Hill