WASHINGTON – The Senate voted to begin a marathon debate about President Donald Trump’s package of legislative priorities − stuffed with tax cuts, Medicaid reforms and border security funding – despite lingering Republican concerns about the legislation.

Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has said he is uncertain whether enough Republicans will support their version to send it back to the House.

“We’ll find out,” Thune said.

But the 51-49 vote to proceed signals that there is enough GOP support to at least begin the hours-long debate and expected voting on dozens of amendments.

GOP Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina each voted against debating the bill as written.

The vote that began at 7:30 p.m. EDT was held open for more than three hours as Thune scrambled to find a majority of votes to kickstart the debate.

If the Senate is ultimately successful, the House would have to vote on the upper chamber’s changes in order to reach Trump’s desk by his self-imposed deadline of July 4. The Senate has trimmed the House version from about 1,100 pages to 940 − and still faces votes on what are expected to be dozens of amendments.

The success of Trump’s domestic agenda for tax cuts and border security hangs in the balance. Republican approval of the spending blueprint would allow a majority of the 100-member Senate to approve all of Trump’s priorities included in it through legislation later in the year, rather than needing 60 votes to overcome a filibuster for each measure.

Here’s what we know about the legislative package:

Senate voting on whether to debate Trump’s bill

A long wait, then a vote to begin debate

With little fanfare, the Senate began voting at about 7:30 p.m. EDT on whether to begin the debate on Trump’s legislative package.

Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, simply asked the Senate to vote on a motion to begin debating the bill.

The move came after hours of inaction – interrupted by the occasional speech – since the Senate gaveled into action at 2 p.m.

– Bart Jansen

Nevada senator votes despite COVID-19

The vote was close enough and important enough that a Nevada senator voted despite testing positive for COVID-19.

“After experiencing mild symptoms, I have tested positive for COVID,” Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, said in a social media post. “I’ll continue to follow my doctor’s guidelines and wear a mask while voting this weekend.”- Bart Jansen

Lee drops provision for public land sales from bill

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, agreed to drop a contentious provision for public land sales from the legislative package.

Environmental groups had criticized the provision for opening lands to logging and oil, gas and coal production. A fellow Republican, Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana, threatened to vote against the bill unless the provision was removed, which could have scuttled the entire bill.

Lee announced on social media that he wasn’t able to secure safeguards that the land must be sold to Americans rather than the Chinese or investors.

“I continue to believe the federal government owns far too much land – land it is mismanaging and in many cases ruining for the next generation,” Lee said.

– Bart Jansen

Trump blasts Tillis over opposition to legislation

Trump criticized Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, one of three Republicans to vote against debating the legislation, as “making a BIG MISTAKE.”

Tillis had voiced concern about steeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate version of the bill than in the House version, and said he would have to oppose it.

But Trump noted he won the state in three presidential elections in the Tarheel State, where Tillis faces reelection next year. Trump highlighted provisions in the legislation to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. He argued taxes will rise if 2017 tax cuts aren’t extended, and that the country needs to increase the limit on borrowing.

“Thom Tillis is making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina!” Trump said in a post June 28 on social media.

In another post, Trump said he would be meeting with “numerous people” who have asked to run in the GOP primary against Tillis. Trump said he is “looking for someone who will properly represent the Great people of North Carolina.”

– Bart Jansen

Democrats force Senate to read entire Trump bill

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, forced Senate clerks to read the entire bill out loud, further delaying the start of debate on the bill.

While typically a formality, Schumer objected to waiving the reading of the bill. His objection forced clerks to read the 940-page document.

Then senators will begin hours of debate followed by hours of voting. A vote on final passage could come June 30.

– Bart Jansen

‘No cause for alarm’ on vote delay: Sen. Mike Rounds

South Dakota GOP Sen. Mike Rounds told CNN that he thinks Republicans will ultimately have the votes to begin the floor debate but were working on ensuring commitments for concerned GOP lawmakers that they’ll get the chance to offer amendments to address their issues.

“No cause for alarm,” Rounds said, adding that the lengthy delay from the plan to have a 4 p.m. EDT opening procedural vote stemmed from the wait for the Congressional Budget Office to analyze late changes to the Senate bill. Looking ahead, Rounds outlined a floor plan that would start with Democrats forcing a full reading of the 990-page bill, something the Republican said he hoped they would not do so that congressional staff can go home for the night and get rest before resuming debate on June 29.

Once the floor debate begins, Rounds said Democrats and Republicans would get 20 hours equally divided – with the GOP likely surrendering a considerable amount of that time. Only then would the Senate begin to hold what’s known as a “vote-a-rama” where they consider scores of amendments.”We’ve got a long couple of days ahead of us yet,” Rounds said. – Darren Samuelsohn

Business Roundtable endorses Trump bill

Business groups endorsed Trump’s legislative package for its anticipated economic benefits as the Senate prepared to debate it.

“This critical legislation would protect and enhance the transformative economic benefits that President Trump’s historic 2017 tax reform delivered for American businesses, workers and families,” Business Roundtable President Kristen Silverberg said. “We urge the Senate to swiftly pass this measure.” – Bart Jansen

Democrats to force reading aloud of the entire Senate bill

Senate Democrats unified in opposition to the legislation plan to force the chamber’s clerk to read the entire 990-page GOP tax, policy and spending bill aloud if Republicans vote to open the floor debate.

“Future generations will be saddled with trillions in debt,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York. “Under this draft Republicans will take food away from hungry kids to pay for tax breaks to the rich.”

Schumer’s plans mean that the Senate is sure to be in session late into the night, if not past dawn – presuming Republicans vote to begin the debate. – Darren Samuelsohn, Reuters

Elon Musk opens fire, calls Trump bill ‘utterly insane and destructive’

Billionaire Elon Musk, Trump’s former adviser on cutting government spending, fired off another set of attacks against the president’s legislative package for potentially killing millions of jobs.

Musk had quieted his harsh criticism of Trump and the legislation the week after his departure from government May 30. But he blasted the bill again as the Senate prepared to debate it.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk said June 28 on social media. “Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

As the Senate vote remained in limbo, Musk added another post warning the GOP of the electoral risks if they vote for the Trump-backed legislation that is not polling well with Republicans.

– Bart Jansen

Paging Vice President JD Vance: The Senate might need a tie-breaker

Coming out of a GOP lunch June 28, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, said he’s “under the impression” Senate leadership has the buy-in to advance Trump’s bill. But, “I’m thinking we need the VP,” he said.

Republicans need a simple 51-vote majority to pass the bill. But with a tight 53-member majority and ongoing disputes, every swing vote counts. If they hit 50, Vice President JD Vance, in his capacity as Senate president, can break the tie in Trump’s favor. -Savannah Kuchar

Environmental groups criticize bill’s support for fossil fuels

Environmental advocates criticized the Senate version of Trump’s legislative priorities for not just ending incentives for renewable energy but setting taxes on wind and solar power generation.

The advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council estimated taxes on some projects could grow 50%. The bill could also trigger the largest sale of public lands in history for logging and oil, gas and coal production, according to the group.

Trump campaigned on boosting domestic energy production with the phrase “drill, baby, drill.”

“The new budget reconciliation bill text is a shocking fossil fuels industry fever dream come to life,” said Christy Goldfuss, the council’s executive director. “The bill has gone from fossil fuels boosterism to an active effort from Congress to kill wind and solar energy in the United States.” – Bart Jansen

GOP senators join Trump for golf

President Donald Trump had no public events on his calendar, but he had a couple of key allies join him for golf at his Northern Virginia course: CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Republican Sens. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

After posting a picture with Trump on the golf course, Graham added that he partnered with Trump and Paul to beat Schmitt and Ratcliffe.

“Proud to announce no casualties,” Graham wrote. “A lot of fun! Big Beautiful Bill on the way.”. – Bart Jansen

Saying ‘no’ and voting ‘no’ two different things: Sen. Markwayne Mullin

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, a supporter of Trump’s legislative package, told reporters at the Capitol that lawmakers warning about voting against it and actually voting “no” are two different things.

Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin; Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina; and Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, have each said they were opposed to the bill that is still changing. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have voiced concerns about it.

“Everybody’s got concerns, but saying you’re voting ‘no’ and when you get to the floor and voting ‘no’ is two totally different things,” Mullin said. “I don’t believe in losing and we’re going to get the votes.” – Bart Jansen

Budget blueprint debate could be 30 hours of ‘nonsense’: Sen. Brian Moreno

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, a supporter of Trump’s legislative package, said a final vote would likely come after 30 hours of “nonsense” from Democrats voting on proposals to change the contentious bill.

“It’s an absolutely historic and transformative piece of legislation that reverses four years of an assault on American workers,” Moreno said. “I want everybody watching this to remember this as you listen to probably what’s going to be 30-plus hours of complete nonsense from the other side.” – Bart Jansen

Senate meets before debating Trump legislative package

The Senate gaveled in at 2 p.m., in anticipation of beginning debate on President Trump’s legislative priorities, but lawmakers haven’t yet voted to begin talking about the measure.

A majority of senators must agree to begin debate, which can sometimes kill legislation before it begins. With 53 Republicans and 47 Democratic caucus members, just a few GOP lawmakers could prevent a debate.

But the hurdle appears a mere technicality because wavering GOP members such as Sen. Susan Collins of Maine have said she would support the debate even if not necessarily the final bill. -Bart Jansen

Sen. Josh Hawley says Republicans have “soul searching” to do

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, had been one of the leading voices among Senate Republicans raising concerns about proposed cuts to Medicaid and how that would impact his largely rural state.

But after studying the latest, finalized bill text — which delays pushing costs onto states and establishes a $25 billion rural hospital fund — Hawley said he’s a yes on passing the bill.

Beyond this weekend’s vote, though, Hawley said he intends to keep pushing back in effort to prevent the delayed federal spending cuts from ever going into effect.

“This has been an unhappy episode, here in Congress, this effort to cut to Medicaid,” he said. “And I think, frankly, my party needs to do some soul searching.” — Savannah Kuchar

Sen. Susan Collins remains a wildcard

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she’ll support Senate leadership bringing the mega bill to the floor and kicking off presumably hours of debate. But she cautioned reporters that she remains uncertain how she’ll side when a final vote gets called.

“That does not, in any way, predict how I’m going to vote on the final passage,” Collins told reporters while walking into the Capitol for the start of the day’s events.

Collins said her final vote ultimately will depend on what the bill looks like after lawmakers — including herself — introduce and potentially tack on further amendments.

“There’s some very good changes that have been made in the latest version, but I want to see further changes,” Collins said. – Savannah Kuchar

What is in the Senate bill?

The largest provisions in the legislation would extend expiring tax cuts and create a few new ones, and a dramatic increasing in spending on border security.

The heart of the legislation would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts which are set to expire at end of the year. Republicans have said defeat of the measure would lead to a $4 trillion tax hike over the next decade.

New tax deductions Trump campaigned on would apply to tips for employees such as waiters through 2028 and for overtime pay. The Senate capped the deduction at $25,000 and weakened the break for individuals with income above $150,000.

For border security, the bill would increase funding about $150 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. The bill authorizes $45 billion for new detention centers as Trump ramps up arrests and $27 billion for a mass deportation campaign.

A crucial provision would increase the amount the country can borrow by $5 trillion. The country’s debt is already approaching $37 trillion and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned the current limit on borrowing will be reached in August.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Republican holdout on the bill, said he wouldn’t vote for the bill unless the debt limit gets a separate vote. But Republican leaders want to keep the unpopular vote within the overall package. −Bart Jansen

What’s not in the Senate version of the bill?

Republican support in the Senate waned after Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled several significant provisions would have to be removed to avoid a filibuster.

Republicans removed provisions to curb environmental regulations; restrict federal judges’ powers; bulk up immigration enforcement; and cut funding from a consumer protection agency.

MacDonough also ruled against provisions that aimed to reduce Medicaid spending on health care programs for undocumented immigrants. −Bart Jansen

What does Trump say about the Senate version of the bill?

The Trump administration “strongly supports” the Senate version of the bill, in a White House Office of Management and Budget statement June 28.

The statement isn’t intended to favor the Senate version over the House version on any particular provision, but to signal Trump would sign it if approved by Congress. The two-page statement highlighted provisions for tax cuts, border security, energy and defense.

“President Trump is committed to keeping his promises, and failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal,” the statement said. −Bart Jansen

Is there really a July 4 deadline?

Trump has told congressional Republicans he’s want this thing wrapped up by Independence Day.

But the due date is less procedural than it is political. The sooner the president can tout legislation that makes good on several of his 2024 campaign promises, including a tax limit on tips and overtime wages, plus extends his 2017 tax cuts for high-income earners, the better.

The more impending deadlines are sometime in August, when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the federal government is at risk of hitting its debt ceiling, and the end of the year, when Trump’s first-term tax cuts are set to expire. The legislation up for a vote in the Senate currently contains a provision to raise the debt limit.− Savannah Kuchar

Senate Republicans on Saturday narrowly voted to advance a sprawling 1,000-page bill to enact President Trump’s agenda, despite the opposition of two GOP lawmakers.

The vote was 51-49.

Two Republicans voted against advancing the package: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who opposes a provision to raise the debt limit by $5 trillion, and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who says the legislation would cost his state $38.9 billion in federal Medicaid funding.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) changed his “no” vote to “aye,” and holdout Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) also voted yes to advance the bill.

The bill had suffered several significant setbacks in the days and hours before coming to the floor, at times appearing to be on shaky ground.

The vote itself was also full of drama.

Signs of trouble started to pop up 50 minutes after the vote opened when three GOP senators who had expressed misgivings about the bill — Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Lee and Scott — still hadn’t shown up on the Senate floor.

Three other Republican senators — Paul, Tillis and Johnson — announced well in advance of the vote that they would oppose the motion to proceed and could not support the bill in its current form.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) stood along the back wall of the chamber — appearing somewhat nervous — waiting for his missing colleagues to arrive on the floor.

Thune was surrounded by members of his leadership team, including Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso (Wyo.); Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), the deputy whip; and Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

When Murkowski finally appeared on the floor, she was quickly surrounded by Thune, Barrasso, Graham and Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who barraged her on all sides with points and interjections.

Then Murkowski walked away from the leadership group and sat down next to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to have a quiet tête-à-tête.

Murkowski eventually voted in favor of advancing the measure, but the vote remained open.

Almost three hours after the vote began, Johnson, Lee, Scott and Lummis walked out of Thune’s office with Vice President Vance and headed to the Senate floor to cast the final votes to advance the bill.

Earlier in the week, perhaps the most notable setback was a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian that a cap on health care provider taxes, which is projected to save billions of dollars in federal Medicaid spending, violated the Senate’s Byrd Rule. GOP leaders were able to rewrite that provision for it to remain in the bill.

And the legislation appeared in danger moments before vote, when Sen. Tim Sheehy, a first-term Republican from Montana, threatened to vote against the motion to proceed if the bill included a provision championed by Lee directing the Interior Department to sell millions of acres of public lands.

Sheehy agreed at the last minute to vote for the legislation after GOP leaders promised he would get a vote on an amendment to strip the language forcing the sale of public lands from the bill.

In the end, Thune pulled off a major victory by moving the legislation a big step closer to final passage.

Thune hailed the legislation Saturday as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver legislation to create a safer, stronger and more prosperous America.”

He cited $160 billion to secure the borders and beef up immigration enforcement and $150 billion to increase the Pentagon’s budget, as well as an array of new tax cuts in addition to the extension of Trump’s expiring 2017 tax cuts.

He pointed to the bill’s elimination of taxes on tips and taxes on overtime pay for hourly workers, as well as language allowing people to deduct auto loan interest when they buy a new car made in the United States.

President Trump has set a July 4 deadline for Congress to get the bill to his desk.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) blasted his Republican colleagues for unveiling the 940-page Senate substitute amendment late Friday night, giving senators only a few hours to review the legislation before the vote.

“Hard to believe, this bill is worse, even worse than any draft we’ve seen thus far. It’s worse on health care. It’s worse on [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program]. It’s worse on the deficit,” he said.

Schumer slammed Republicans for advancing the bill before having an official budgetary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.

“They’re afraid to show how badly this will increase the deficit,” he said. “Future generations will be saddled with trillions in debt.”

A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office circulated by Senate Finance Committee Democrats on Saturday estimates the bill will cut Medicaid by $930 billion, far more substantially than the legislation passed last month by the House.

Tillis cited the impact on Medicaid as the reason he voted “no” on the motion to proceed and plans to vote “no” on final passage.

“I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities,” he said in a statement.

“This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population,” he warned.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a critical swing vote, said she voted to advance the legislation out of “deference” to the GOP leader but warned that doesn’t mean she will vote “yes” on final passage.

She said that Senate negotiators improved the legislation before releasing it Friday but added that she wants to make additional changes.

“Generally, I give deference to the majority leader’s power to bring bills to the Senate floor. Does not in any way predict how I’m going to vote on final passage,” Collins told reporters.

“That’s going to depend on whether the bill is substantially changed,” she said. “There are some very good changes that have been made in the latest version, but I want to see further changes and I will be filing a number of amendments.”

Former senior White House adviser Elon Musk blasted the Senate bill on social media shortly before the vote, calling it full of “handouts to industries of the past,” referring to the oil, gas and coal industries.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,” he wrote on X, the social media platform he owns.

Schumer told Democratic senators before the vote that he would force the clerks to read the entire 1,000-page bill on the Senate floor, which is estimated to take up to 12 hours and delay the start of debate and a marathon series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama.

It’s unclear whether Republican senators will keep the Senate in session overnight Saturday into Sunday morning to have the bill read aloud on the floor, an exhausting process for the Senate floor staff.

An overnight reading of the bill would leave the clerks and floor staff weary before senators are scheduled to hold 20 hours of debate on the legislation and then launch into a multihour vote-a-rama.