The U.S. Senate on Saturday narrowly voted to begin debate on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending plan, advancing the legislation after hours of stalled talks, closed-door meetings and procedural delays.
The 51-49 vote opened floor debate on the 940-page bill, which would extend Trump-era tax cuts, reduce funding for federal programs, and boost spending on military and immigration enforcement. Two Republicans, Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, joined all Democrats in voting against the motion. Vice President J.D. Vance was present in the chamber in case of a tie but was not needed.
Trump celebrated the outcome on social media, calling it a “great victory” for his “great, big, beautiful bill.”
The package remains far from final passage. Democrats forced a procedural delay by demanding the full text be read aloud before debate could begin, potentially pushing discussions into Sunday.
“Senate Republicans are scrambling to pass a radical bill, released to the public in the dead of night, praying the American people don’t realize what’s in it,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor. “Democrats are going to force this chamber to read it from start to finish.”
Once debate begins, lawmakers will have up to 20 hours for discussion, followed by a series of amendment votes — a process known as a vote-a-rama — before a final vote. Senate leaders say they aim to complete work on the bill by Monday.
The White House has said it “strongly supports passage.” Trump monitored the vote from the Oval Office, according to a senior administration official, and spoke with lawmakers throughout the evening.
Tillis cited proposed Medicaid cuts in explaining his opposition, warning they would affect health coverage for residents in North Carolina. Trump responded online: “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks.”
Paul opposed raising the federal borrowing limit by $5 trillion. “Did Rand Paul Vote ‘NO’ again tonight? What’s wrong with this guy???” Trump wrote.
Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, who had expressed concerns over spending levels, eventually supported the motion after meetings with Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who initially voted no, switched his vote following similar talks.
The bill would lock in tax reductions enacted in 2017 and add new provisions, including a tax exemption for service industry tips.
The Joint Tax Committee estimates the tax changes would reduce federal revenue by $4.5 trillion over the next decade. The White House projects the bill would reduce the deficit by $1.4 trillion over time.
Elon Musk criticized the legislation, saying it would end tax breaks for electric vehicles produced by Tesla. “The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk wrote on X. He called the bill “utterly insane and destructive.”
In response to pushback from senators representing rural states, GOP leaders revised the Medicaid provisions to delay some of the cuts. The new draft includes a $25 billion fund to support rural Medicaid providers between 2028 and 2032.
The bill also includes a revision to the state and local tax deduction, known as SALT. It raises the cap from $10,000 to $40,000 through 2029, with a 1% annual adjustment. The cap would then revert to current levels. For individuals earning more than $500,000, the cap would gradually phase down.
The compromise has drawn mixed reactions. Some Senate Republicans say it is too generous, while some House Republicans argue it does not go far enough.
House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed members for the weekend but told them to be ready to return if the Senate completes its work by Monday.
If approved by the Senate, the legislation would return to the House for final passage before heading to Trump’s desk.
