WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Republicans on Tuesday narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package after a tense overnight standoff, clearing a major hurdle for a bill that now faces a tougher battle in the House.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed with a 50-50 vote, broken by Vice President JD Vance after Republican leaders secured last-minute support from Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. Her reluctant “yes” came after intense pressure and negotiations over proposed Medicaid cuts affecting her state.
“I struggled mightily with the impact on the most vulnerable in this country,” Murkowski told reporters after the vote. She described the process as “rushed” and driven by an “artificial timeline.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune lost the support of three Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Rand Paul of Kentucky who joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.
Trump had set a July 4 deadline for the bill to reach his desk. Speaking during a visit to a detention facility in Florida, he welcomed the outcome. “It’s a great bill,” he said. “There is something for everyone.”
The legislation seeks to make permanent the tax cuts Trump introduced during his first term. To offset the expected drop in revenue, the bill calls for significant spending reductions in food assistance programs and healthcare coverage for low-income Americans.
Senate Democrats attempted to delay the bill’s passage by forcing a full reading of its 940 pages and challenging proposed amendments in a lengthy session known as a “vote-a-rama.” Despite those efforts, the bill passed Tuesday afternoon.
The measure now returns to the House of Representatives, where Republicans previously passed a different version by a single vote. They must now approve the Senate’s changes to move the bill to Trump’s desk.
House Republicans face a tight margin. The party can only afford to lose three votes. Opposition is coming from multiple fronts.
The House Freedom Caucus released a statement warning that the bill could add $650 billion annually to the federal deficit. “That’s not fiscal responsibility,” the group wrote in a post on X. “It’s not what we agreed to.”
Other Republican lawmakers have raised alarm over deeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate version compared to what the House approved earlier this year.
Democrats remain firmly opposed to the package. Many say the proposed welfare cuts would hurt working-class Americans, particularly those struggling with food insecurity and healthcare costs.
Outside Congress, billionaire Elon Musk has also spoken out. Once a vocal Trump supporter, Musk now threatens to launch a third political party and back primary challengers to lawmakers who vote in favor of the bill.
“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame,” Musk posted on X.
Trump’s bill also proposes eliminating tax breaks for renewable energy and electric vehicles. Musk, who built much of his business empire in that sector, would be directly affected through his company, Tesla.
The House is expected to reconvene before July 4 to decide the bill’s fate. Trump, while still hopeful, admitted the timeline is tight. “I’d love to do July 4th, but I think it’s very hard to do July 4th,” he told reporters. “Maybe somewhere around there.”
Until then, the bill remains in limbo, with pressure mounting on House Republicans to unite behind the controversial plan.
