The US Senate has begun a tense and marathon voting process on former President Donald Trump’s major spending and tax bill, a deeply divisive package aiming to extend first-term tax cuts and boost military spending while slashing key social welfare programs. Known as a “vote-a-rama,” the session allows senators to propose countless amendments, potentially stretching the debate for over 12 hours.
Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” with an estimated cost of $4.5 trillion, seeks to offset expenses by making deep cuts to Medicaid and other social safety nets. Critics warn these cuts would strip around $1 trillion in subsidised healthcare from millions of low-income Americans, adding over $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. Despite Trump’s strong influence over the Republican Party, the process remains fraught, with party divisions emerging over the bill’s harsh impact on the poor.
The former president aims to sign the bill by Independence Day. Republicans hold a slim Senate majority, making each vote crucial. Senators like Rand Paul and Thom Tillis have voiced opposition, with Tillis accusing Republicans of betraying promises to protect Medicaid.
Meanwhile, Democrats are highlighting threats to healthcare, federal food aid, and clean energy tax credits, hoping to force Republicans into politically challenging votes ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections.
Elon Musk, once a top Trump advisor, criticised the bill as “utterly insane” for undercutting clean energy incentives while favouring older industries. A vote in the House of Representatives could follow by Wednesday, where Republicans also face a narrow path amid concerns from both fiscal hawks and moderates.
