Senate Advances "One Big Beautiful Bill" After Late-Night Vote, Debate Continues

WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Senate has voted to advance the "One Big Beautiful Bill," initiating a prolonged legislative process that Republican leadership hopes to finalize soon. The vote occurred late Saturday night after a group of four conservative holdouts ultimately supported the measure, citing negotiations on deficit reduction and Medicaid changes as reasons for their comfort with its progression.The bill, spanning nearly a thousand pages, encompasses several key aspects of President Trump's domestic agenda. These include the extension of 2017 tax cuts, the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime work, and significant reductions to Medicaid. Estimates suggest that these Medicaid cuts could lead to approximately 11 million individuals losing their insurance coverage over the next decade.Senate Majority Leader John Thune faced a narrow margin, needing to secure sufficient Republican votes for the bill's advancement. Despite losing two Republicans, he managed to gather the necessary support. Some lawmakers expressed concerns regarding the bill's substantial price tag and its potential impact on the federal deficit, while others voiced deep reservations about the proposed Medicaid cuts.Following the Senate's vote to advance the bill, Democratic senators have initiated efforts to stall the process. They are currently engaged in reading the entire nearly 1000-page bill aloud on the Senate floor, a procedure expected to take up to 15 hours. The bill still faces a lengthy path, as it must return to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Johnson also navigates narrow margins. President Trump continues to exert pressure on his party to ensure the bill's passage, reportedly criticizing those who oppose it.