Image Source: Agencies

June 29, 2025: Senate Republicans voting in a dramatic late Saturday session narrowly cleared a key procedural step as they race to advance President Donald Trump's package of tax breaks, spending cuts and bolstered deportation funds by his July Fourth deadline.
The tally, 51-49, came after a tumultuous session with Vice President JD Vance on hand if needed to break the tie.
Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations. In the end, two Republicans opposed the motion to proceed to debate, joining all Democrats.
It's still a long weekend of work to come. Republicans are using their majorities in Congress to push aside Democratic opposition, but they have run into a series of political and policy setbacks.
Not all GOP lawmakers are on board with proposals to reduce spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other programmes as a way to help cover the cost of extending some USD 3.8 trillion in Trump tax breaks.
The White House issued a statement of administrative policy ahead of the anticipated roll call, stating that it "strongly supports passage" of the bill that "implements critical aspects" of the president's agenda. GOP senators posted about Trump's visit to his Virginia golf course on social media on Saturday. “It's time to get this legislation across the finish line,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
However, as the day dragged on, billionaire Elon Musk reacted angrily, describing the package as "utterly insane and destructive." "The most recent draft bill in the Senate will destroy millions of American jobs and cause enormous strategic harm to our country!" the former top Trump aide said in a post.
“It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.” The Tesla and SpaceX CEO later posted that the bill would be “political suicide for the Republican Party”.
The criticisms bring back a heated argument that erupted between the administration he left and the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk has previously made it abundantly clear what he thinks of Trump's "big, beautiful bill." He slammed the bill as "pork-filled" and a "disgusting abomination" just days after he celebrated his departure from the federal government last month in the Oval Office. The 940-page bill was released shortly before midnight Friday, and senators are expected to grind through the hours of all-night debate and amendments in the days ahead. If the Senate is able to pass it, the bill would go back to the House for a final round of votes before it could reach the White House.
With the narrow Republican majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board in the face of essentially unified opposition from Democrats. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans unveiled the bill “in the dead of night” and are rushing to finish the bill before the public fully knows what's in it. He is expected to call for a full reading of the text in the Senate, which would take hours.