Senate Passes Megabill With Vance Casting Tie-Breaker

This article was originally published by The Epoch Times: Senate Passes Megabill With Vance Casting Tie-Breaker

In a dramatic turn of political events, the Senate managed to pass an expansive legislative package dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act after a grueling “vote-a-rama” session that kicked off late on June 28 and stretched into the early hours of July 1. This bill is now set to return to the House for further deliberation.

WASHINGTON—The Senate’s passage of its iteration of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act occurred at midday on July 1, following a marathon voting session that was as exhausting as it was contentious.

Vice President JD Vance stepped in to cast the tie-breaking vote, tipping the scales in favor of the bill with a 50–50 split.

Notably, Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) stood in opposition to the legislation.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers who initially hesitated, including Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), ultimately lent their support, albeit with reservations.

Moderate Republicans voiced concerns about the proposed Medicaid cuts, deeming them excessive, while fiscal conservatives criticized the bill for its perceived lack of spending reductions.

Throughout the night, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) tirelessly sought consensus among the Republican caucus, as several members pushed for amendments to reshape the bill to their preferences. This final version is a testament to weeks of negotiations that culminated in a narrow victory.

The passage marks a significant achievement for President Donald Trump, as it includes essential components of his agenda for a second term—ranging from enhanced border security measures to the continuation of the 2017 tax cuts, the elimination of green-energy tax incentives, and the removal of taxes on tips and overtime pay.

Now, the bill is headed to the House, where House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) faces the daunting task of uniting both conservatives and moderates within his slim majority to secure passage.

Congress had aimed to expedite the bill through both chambers by a self-imposed deadline of Independence Day, a target that now appears increasingly tenuous as the legislation returns to the House. However, Trump, on July 1, indicated his willingness to consider extending the deadline.

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “It will be a challenge to get it all done by July 4.”

Meanwhile, Johnson expressed optimism about the House’s ability to pass the bill, though he refrained from confirming a timeline.

Transition to the House

According to Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Trump actively reached out to senators to garner support for the legislation. “The president was incredibly involved,” Graham reported post-vote.

“This is no longer just a ‘House Bill’ or a ‘Senate Bill.’ It belongs to everyone,” Trump declared in a social media post following the vote.

The president urged the House to rally around the bill, emphasizing, “We are on schedule—Let’s keep it going, and wrap it up before you and your family embark on your July 4th vacation.”

In a statement on July 1, Johnson and the House Republican leadership projected confidence that the bill would pass in a timely manner.

“House Republicans are poised to finish the job and deliver the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk in time for Independence Day,” the statement from Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) read.

Yet, some Republicans are advocating for a slower process to allow for thorough examination of certain bill aspects, particularly those concerning Medicaid.

Murkowski remarked, “I have urged our leadership and the White House for more process on this bill, as I believe we can achieve a better outcome for the American people.”

Despite her reservations, she ultimately voted in favor of the bill due to its benefits for Alaskans, including support for struggling rural hospitals.

Thune expressed hope that the House would accept the Senate’s revised version of the bill, stating, “I believe we strengthened and improved upon what they sent us.”

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took to the floor to renew his critique of the legislation, asserting, “Today’s vote will haunt our Republican colleagues for years to come,” denouncing the tax provisions as disgraceful.

Democrats have consistently argued that the bill favors wealthy individuals at the expense of health coverage for the impoverished, stating, “This is not what the American people want,” while Schumer highlighted the bill’s potential repercussions on Medicaid, food assistance, and the national debt.

Schumer even attempted to have the name “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” removed from the legislation during his earlier remarks.

The House is slated to vote on the bill on July 2.

Vote-a-Rama Unpacked

Senators toiled through the weekend to ensure the bill’s passage, dedicating 35 hours to the floor between June 28 and the early hours of June 30.

Significantly, 16 hours of this time involved reading the 940-page bill’s full text, a move instigated by Schumer to stall the legislative process.

The Senate reconvened at 9 a.m. on June 30 to initiate the marathon voting session known as a “vote-a-rama,” which entails a series of votes on proposed amendments to budget reconciliation bills. This drawn-out process is essential for passing such bills in the Senate with a simple majority.

The atmosphere within the Capitol was frenetic, as senators navigated the complexities of the lengthy voting session. Senator John Curtis (R-Utah) admitted he was struggling to keep pace with the rapid developments occurring behind the scenes, noting, “There are so many moving pieces.”

The noon vote followed more than 24 hours of strategizing as several key Republicans lobbied for their preferred amendments.

Last-Minute Adjustments

Among the final amendments incorporated into the bill were provisions focusing on rural hospitals, alterations to the Medicaid provider tax typically imposed by states, and an excise tax affecting certain imports from China.

The Senate version established a stabilization fund for rural hospitals, addressing fears that Medicaid spending cuts might jeopardize these financially vulnerable institutions. Collins advocated for increasing this fund from $25 billion to $50 billion, distributed over five years.

Controversially, a provision limiting states’ ability to tax Medicaid providers remained intact, which enables states to amplify federal payments without enhancing services.

Additionally, the revised bill allocated $20 million to the Department of Health and Human Services to facilitate the implementation of the provider tax segment, an uptick from the previous $6 million.

However, an excise tax on wind and solar energy items imported from China was removed from the bill.

Medicaid Concerns Resurface

Tillis, who recently announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, cited his opposition to the bill on the grounds of its Medicaid cuts.

During a Senate floor address on June 29, he criticized the proposed changes to Medicaid, contending that Trump had been “misinformed” about the bill’s implications for the entitlement program.

The current draft introduces new 80-hour monthly work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking benefits and reduces the maximum provider tax states can impose on healthcare providers to fund their Medicaid programs.

Tillis characterized these adjustments as deviations from Trump’s campaign promises regarding Medicaid, likening it to President Barack Obama’s infamous statement about the Affordable Care Act: “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.”

Paul has similarly linked his opposition to the bill’s $5 trillion debt ceiling increase, advocating for a separate vote on this contentious provision.

Potential House Hurdles

As the package transitions to the House, Medicaid cuts are expected to be a central concern for numerous Republicans representing swing districts.

Moderates like Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and other Republican lawmakers from states like California and New York were previously persuaded to support the bill in earlier votes. However, securing final approval may prove more challenging.

Conservative lawmakers could raise additional objections, particularly regarding clean energy tax credits. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) has been vocal in his opposition to these credits, which were a prerequisite for conservatives’ backing of the bill in the House. The inclusion of the Grassley–Ernst–Murkowski amendment could incite significant resistance from Roy and his allies.

“The House budget framework was clear: no new deficit spending in the One Big Beautiful Bill. The Senate’s version adds $651 billion to the deficit—and that’s before interest costs, which nearly double the total. That’s not fiscal responsibility. It’s not what we agreed to,” the House Freedom Caucus asserted on social media.

Moreover, several lawmakers, including Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and members of the House Freedom Caucus, have echoed Paul’s concerns regarding the steep debt ceiling increase, which exceeds the amount authorized by the original House draft.

On June 30, as the Senate proceeded with its voting on the bill, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk vowed to challenge any Republican supporting the bill, particularly those who campaigned on cutting spending. Musk declared, “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!”

Another contentious aspect of the bill could be its anticipated impact on the federal deficit. The Congressional Budget Office recently projected that the reconciliation bill would inflate the deficit by approximately $3.25 trillion.

Despite these challenges, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) maintained an optimistic outlook, stating, “We believe we’re going to pass a bill that they can support.”

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