Guests to the U.S. Capitol relaxation within the shade on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 25, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
Senators on Monday started providing amendments to President Donald Trump’s megabill, following a weekend of tense negotiations to attempt to get the president’s second term domestic priorities by the higher chamber.
The method, referred to as a “vote-a-rama,” started shortly after 9 a.m. ET, and it was not but clear how lengthy it might go on. Eight hours or extra will not be uncommon.
Senators are allowed to introduce a limiteless variety of amendments to the budget bill, forcing the chamber to forged back-to-back votes.
Some Senate Republicans, resembling Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, have already signaled that they intend to file “numerous amendments.”
Nearly all of the amendments will not win the mandatory 50 votes to get into the invoice. However that is not at all times the purpose. For lots of the amendments, the aim is to ship a political message and to spotlight varied senators’ opposition to, or assist for, totally different items of the large package deal.
For instance, Democrats will intention to pressure Republicans to forged votes on the document in favor of among the extra controversial components of the invoice, like Medicaid work necessities and the top of tax credit for electrical autos.
The “vote-a-rama” was initially set to start late Sunday or early Monday following hours of debate on the 940-page package deal, however senators pushed the votes to Monday morning.
Lawmakers labored by the weekend to attempt to get Trump’s invoice throughout the end line as Republicans’ self-imposed July 4 deadline looms.
Republicans eked out a key procedural win late Saturday, with simply two GOP senators — Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky — voting in opposition to a movement to advance the invoice.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune of South Dakota is presiding over a particularly slim majority, so he can solely afford to lose yet one more vote within the last poll — along with Tillis and Paul — and nonetheless cross the package deal.
However even when Thune is ready to get the invoice by his chamber, it faces an unsure path within the Home, the place lawmakers should approve the revisions made by the higher chamber.
Some Home Republicans have already signaled objections to adjustments within the Senate model of the “huge, stunning invoice.”
Home Republican management, for his or her half, have advised their members to organize for votes on the package deal Tuesday or Wednesday, POLITICO reports.
That is breaking information. Please verify again for updates.