Senate Republicans advance budget megabill in test vote

The Senate in a late Saturday test vote narrowly moved to advance its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Republicans squeaked by with a 51-49 majority, according to Senate records. The partisan budget measure headed to the Senate floor for debate. Democrats were expected to propose a slew of amendments to delay the bill’s passage. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also forced a full reading of the 940-page bill, which will eat into debate time. Senate Majority Leader John Thune wants to pass the bill by July 4.

Did any Republicans vote against the bill? Two opposed it—Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Paul said on Saturday that he was voting no because the bill increases the national deficit. Tillis voted against the bill because its proposed changes to Medicaid would negatively impact his state, he said. Tillis also announced shortly thereafter that he will not seek reelection.

What has the White House been saying about the bill? It pushed for the bill’s passage at a Thursday event and in a statement Saturday. The statement said that estimates of a soaring deficit caused by the bill failed to account for incoming revenue from President Trump’s tariffs.

Trump on Saturday also warned cost-cutting Republicans against opposing the bill, reminding them that going too far could hurt their chances of reelection. He said American economic growth would make up for the bill’s spending, according to a social media post.

Dig deeper: Read my report on procedural issues with the bill’s Medicaid provisions that prompted tweaks.