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The Senate passed President Donald Trump's domestic agenda bill on Tuesday (July 1), marking a significant step toward enacting his key policy objectives. The final vote was 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. This bill, which extends tax cuts from 2017 and reduces spending on programs like Medicaid, now heads to the House for approval.
The bill's passage follows intense negotiations among Republicans, who were under pressure to meet a self-imposed July 4 deadline. The legislation includes tax cuts, increased military and immigration enforcement funding, and spending reductions in Medicaid, SNAP, and clean energy programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add over $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
Despite the Senate's success, the bill faces challenges in the House, where some GOP members oppose the Senate's changes. House Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose three votes for the bill to pass. The Senate used reconciliation to bypass a Democratic filibuster, but the bill's Medicaid cuts and other provisions remain contentious.
The bill's journey through the Senate involved a marathon amendment session, with none of the amendments altering the core of the legislation. President Trump has urged lawmakers to finalize the bill before the July 4 deadline, emphasizing its importance to his administration's agenda.