Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage on the narrowest of votes, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president's signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval, or collapse.
Now it goes back to the U.S. House.
Members of the lower chamber are waiting for a second chance to vote on Donald Trump’s so called big beautiful budget bill. Lawmakers in the Senate spent part of Tuesday at a standstill in an effort to get the votes needed to pass the measure. Alabama’s newest member of Congress will get to consider that amended bill. Democrat Shomari Figures was elected to the new District two which was ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court. He was he doesn’t like what he’s seeing.
“I think the underlying concern that I have with this bill is that it is premised on removing benefits away from people who need those benefits, and from very worthy programs, anti hunger programs, making sure people who don't have the financial means have access to health care,” Figures said.
Congressman Figures is Pat Duggins’ upcoming guest on APR Notebook on Alabama Public Radio. As for House consideration of Donald Trump’s budget bill, a White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity on a call with reporters, said it wouldn’t be productive for the House to review in a conference committee the tax cut-and-spending bill passed by the Senate. The White House as a practice often provides background briefings to reporters on policy issues in which officials talk on the condition of anonymity.
The official said it wouldn’t be a path to success to do so in a measure that is 85% the same as what the House passed earlier.
Congress often forms conference committees to resolve differences in bills passed by the House and Senate, but the Trump administration is pushing the House to vote directly on the Senate bill in hopes of meeting Trump’s deadline of Friday, July 4 to celebrate its passage. Alabama Democratic Congressman Shomari Figures still has concerns about the priorities in the measure.
“Tax breaks to ultra wealthy millionaires and billionaires is not worth the position that we're putting the future of this country in, and certainly not worth sacrificing the health, safety, and many cases, the ability for some people to put food on the table, some of the poorest people in this country,” the Representative said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that “all legislative tools and options are on the table” as Democrats strategize to prevent Republicans from giving final passage to Trump’s big bill. Jeffries said Democratic leadership would meet this evening, followed by a full caucus meeting at 6 p.m. He said he expects all members to be at the Capitol this week. He used especially forceful language after the bill passed the House, saying “this disgusting abomination will set in motion a potential economic death spiral.” To delay final passage past Trump’s self-imposed July 4th deadline, Jeffries did not rule out invoking a “magic minute,” a rarely used tool allowing unlimited speaking time for leaders after debate has officially ended.
