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Here’s where things stand on Tuesday 1 July 2025:
- The United States Senate Republicans haul President Donald Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage on the narrowest of votes after a turbulent all-night session.
- The House of Representatives will carry out its own vote on the bill Wednesday.
- The 940-page proposal has been met with strong criticism from the Democratic Party as well as some members of Trump’s Republican Party.
- Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top.
- Senators narrowly approved the motion to start the debate, with two Republicans siding with 47 Democrats in voting against it and prompting criticism from the president.
- The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said the bill would increase the deficit by an estimated $3.3 trillion over a decade, while 11.8 million more people in the US would become medically uninsured by 2034 if it became law.
Trump doubts he will reach a deal with Japan over trade
Asked about the prospects of the US reaching a deal on trade with Japan, Trump said that he did not think it was likely.
“We’ve dealt with Japan. I’m not sure we’re going to make a deal. I doubt it,” he said, adding that he could impose a rate of “30 percent or 35 percent or whatever the number is that we determine”.
He added that he was not considering extending a July 9 deadline for countries to negotiate trade agreements with the US.
What have Democrats said about the bill?
After the passage of the bill in the Senate, Democrats have slammed Republicans for a piece of legislation that they say will hollow out healthcare programmes for the most vulnerable and lavish the wealthy and large businesses with sweeping tax cuts.
Here are a few reactions from Democratic lawmakers.
- Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer: “Senate Republicans have betrayed the American people. When people start losing their Medicaid, when people start losing their jobs, when electric bills go up, when health care premiums go up, when kids and parents lose SNAP funding, the American people will remember this vote.”
- House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “Senate Republicans just passed Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill. The extreme GOP budget hurts everyday Americans and rewards their billionaire donors. House Democrats will fight on with every righteous tool we have available.”
- Senator Elizabeth Warren: “After 26 hours of fighting on the Senate floor, Republicans voted to rip health care from millions of people and let little babies go hungry. And they cheered. I’m angry. You should be too. But this fight isn’t over.”
- Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “JD Vance was the deciding vote to cut Medicaid across the country. An absolute and utter betrayal of working families.”
- 2024 Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris: “Thanks to Senate Republicans, 17 million people will lose their health care. Thanks to Senate Republicans, rural hospitals will close. Thanks to Senate Republicans, three million Americans, including veterans and seniors, will lose food assistance. Thanks to Senate Republicans, families will see their energy bills go up by $400 a year. Senate Republicans are doing all of this and more — hurting working people across our nation — in order to pay for $1 trillion in tax cuts for billionaires.”
- Senator Adam Schiff: “In all of my years of public service, this Big Ugly Bill is one of the most shameful and selfish acts I’ve ever seen. But it still needs to pass the House. And we are not going to stop fighting this thing.”
Mamdani’s win certified by NYC Election board
The New York City Election Board on Tuesday confirmed a stunning victory by mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary, clearing the way for the political upstart to be the party’s nominee for the November mayoral election.
The ranked-choice voting results released on Tuesday showed Mamdani, who started his campaign as a little-known New York state assembly member, clinched 56 percent of votes in the third round of the voting, where over 50 percent of votes are required for a winner.
The Associated Press called the race after the results of the city’s ranked choice voting tabulation were released and showed Mamdani trouncing Cuomo by 12 percentage points.
As the Democratic nominee, Mamdani will face the current mayor, Eric Adams, in the general election. Adams, who won as a Democrat in his first mayoral race in 2021, is running as an independent candidate after his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent decision by the Department of Justice to drop the case.
After the election board confirmed Mamdani’s victory, Trump, asked how he would deal with Mamdani if he wins the election and tries to block arrests of immigrants, said, “Well then, we’ll have to arrest him. Look, we don’t need a communist in this country. But if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation.”
Mamdani earlier said that the immigrant raids were “terrorising people” and agents who carry them out have no interest in following the law. Since his win last week, Mamdani has faced a significant number of Islamophobic attacks from those in Trump’s orbit.
Trump says ‘conceptual work’ started on renovating Alcatraz prison
The US president has said that “conceptual work” has begun on his vision of renovating and possibly reopening Alcatraz, the famous prison in the San Francisco Bay that has been closed for several decades and at its peak had a maximum capacity of only 336 prisoners. The former penitentiary currently operates as a site of historical interest, with exhibits and guided tours, and is overseen by the National Park Service.
“Because of the Violence and Criminality I have seen due to the Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden, in particular allowing millions of people into our Country who shouldn’t be here, I wanted something representative to show how we fight back,” Trump said in a social media post.
“And then, it happened, I saw a picture of ALCATRAZ looking so foreboding, and I said, “We’re going to look into renovating and rebuilding the famous ALCATRAZ Prison sitting high on the Bay, surrounded by sharks. What a symbol it is, and will be!” Conceptual work started six months ago, and various prison development firms are looking at doing it with us. Still a little early, but lots of promise!”
Despite last-minute changes, US Senate bill deals big blow to renewable energy
The bill will make it harder to develop wind and solar energy projects, despite the removal of some contentious provisions, industry advocates and lawmakers said.
The Senate dropped a proposed excise tax on solar and wind energy projects that don’t meet strict standards after last-minute negotiations with key Republican senators seeking better terms for renewables.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, fellow Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, whose votes were crucial to the bill’s passage, had introduced an amendment calling for removal of that tax, which caught lawmakers by surprise after it made it into the last draft text.
Many Republican states host large renewable energy industries. The Senate also changed language about which solar and wind projects can use the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits. In the Senate’s final version, projects will be able to use the lucrative credits if they begin construction before 2026. A previous version was based on when the projects enter service.
But overall, the Senate bill will make it too challenging to move forward with many new wind and solar energy projects, likely depriving the United States of added electricity capacity at a time of soaring energy demand, critics said.
That could mean higher consumer bills and lost jobs around the country at project sites dependent on the credits.
“Senate Republicans just voted to trigger the largest spike in utility bills in American history,” said Lena Moffitt, executive director at climate advocacy group Evergreen Action.
Research firm C2ES estimated that the United States will lose 2.3 million jobs as a result of the bill.
Another research firm, Energy Innovation, projected that the bill would result in a fall of 300GW of electricity capacity at a time of soaring demand due to data centre and AI growth.
Study finds gutting of USAID could lead to 14 million additional deaths by 2030
A study published in The Lancet, a British medical journal, has found that the Trump administration’s severe cuts to funding for international assistance programmes could result in more than 14 million additional deaths around the world by 2030. That figure includes 4.5 million children under the age of five.
US humanitarian assistance, often distributed and coordinated through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), plays a large role in supporting programmes promoting global health, especially in poor nations.
The Trump administration, which sees the agency as hostile to its political agenda and has depicted it as a hotbed of left-wing sentiment without evidence, cancelled more than 80 percent of all USAID programmes after a six-week review. Experts have warned that the cuts could have devastating effects worldwide, with the effects felt most severely by poor communities.
Trump praises tax bill, chides Republicans who opposed it
In a post on his social media website, Truth Social, Trump says that the bill is a “major policy win” and hopes it will be passed in time for July 4.
He noted that “almost” all Republicans voted for the bill in the Senate, a dig at the small handful of Republican lawmakers who have criticised the bill or declined to vote for it.
“We can have all of this right now, but only if the House GOP UNITES, ignores its occasional “GRANDSTANDERS” (You know who you are!), and does the right thing, which is sending this Bill to my desk,” he said.
“To my GOP friends in the House: Stay UNITED, have fun, and Vote “YAY.” GOD BLESS YOU ALL!” he added.
If you’re just joining us
Let’s get you up to speed with the latest developments:
- The US Senate has passed a massive tax and spending package after 26 hours of exhausting debate, moving the Trump administration’s key legislative priority one step closer to completion, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote to break the 50-50 deadlock.
- Democrats have slammed the bill’s passage, saying it will lead to drastic decreases in health insurance access and substantial tax cuts for the wealthiest earners and arguing it amounts to an enormous redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich.
- The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where Republican leaders have pledged to pass it in time for President Trump’s desired deadline of July 4, the date of National Independence Day in the US.
- Trump celebrated the passage of the bill, calling it a “great” bill with “something for everyone” and expressing confidence that it will easily pass in the House of Representatives.
Trump suggests, without basis, that NYC mayoral primary winner may be in country ‘illegally’
During a trip to Florida, Trump said that Zohran Mamdani, the winner of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, may be in the country “illegally”.
There is no basis for the claim about Mamdani, who was born in Uganda but lived in New York City for most of his life and became a citizen in 2018.
“We’re going to be watching that very carefully. A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally, you know, we’re going to look at everything,” said Trump.
Mamdani has become a target for frequent Islamophobic attacks since his upset victory in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary in late June. Republican Congressman Andy Ogles, who refers to Mamdani as “little Muhammed”, has called for the 33-year-old to be stripped of his citizenship and deported.
Successful passage of bill a testament to Trump’s ‘threats’: analyst
Paolo von Schirach, president of the Global Policy Institute, said the bill’s passage in the Senate reflected how Trump “runs a very tight ship”.
While there were many people eager to vote for the bill, said von Schirach, anyone who might have had issues was forced to come around.
“He essentially threatens anybody who votes against anything he wants with a primary challenge,” he told Al Jazeera. “That’s how he keeps people in line, those who may be recalcitrant or doubtful.”
He said he believed there was a “good chance” of the bill passing in the House.
How did tax bill make it over the finish line in the Senate?
So, the bill has passed the Senate, but only just scraping over the line with the help of the US vice president. What should we make of all that?
Well, 27 hours of debate and discussion, and during that time, there’s a lot of negotiations going on behind the scenes, particularly with at least two or three of the Republican senators who were holdouts.
Rand Paul was never going to vote for this. He’s concerned that this is going to blow up the national debt by somewhere in the region of 3 trillion over the next 10 years.
Thom Tillis was concerned that up to 12 million Americans could lose some sort of healthcare cover, either national, regional programmes or their own health insurance.
And then there were others, like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who were talking about the issues that they would have in their states if this was passed. Well, Susan Collins voted against the bill. That was the third Republican, but Lisa Murkowski voted with it, and so that helped get it to 50-50, and then JD Vance pushed it through.
House progressive leader slams passage of bill
Representative Pramila Jayapal, who leads the progressive caucus in the House, has said the bill passed in the Senate will deprive 17 million people of healthcare.
“A victory lap for ripping health care away from 17 million poor Americans,” Jayapal said in a social media post responding to John Thune celebrating the passage of the bill. “There are no words.”
Trump gets major victory with bill, but public opinion still sour
Trump has been talking about this since January, and he wanted to get it done, and he wanted to push it all through in one big, beautiful bill, which is why it has been called that, and he managed to get it through the House.
But the longer this has been talked about and the more details that become public, the fewer Americans support him. Initially, he had more than 50 percent of the support. Now it is under 50 percent and politicians know that.
They are aware that this could lead to a cut in Medicare. They are aware, even though Donald Trump had promised to protect it, that this could cut nutritional programmes, particularly for poorer families in the United States.
And although they will get tax cuts, they have managed a lot of the time to be convinced by the Democratic argument that, yes, there are tax cuts, but billionaires will do much better out of this than the ordinary American people, and that is what’s changed the opinion polls.
House set to vote on Wednesday
The House of Representatives is set to debate over and vote for the bill on Wednesday.
Speaker Johnson says that Republican lawmakers are prepared to “finish the job” and deliver the bill to Trump for his signature by July 4.
Republican leader says House will work ‘quickly’ to pass bill
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that Republicans will move to pass the bill by July 4.
“The House will work quickly to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill that enacts President Trump’s full America First agenda by the Fourth of July,” he said in a statement on social media. “The American people gave us a clear mandate, and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay.”
Trump confident his bill will pass easily in the House
“It’s a great bill. There’s something for everyone. And I think it will go very nicely in the House – actually, it will be easier in the House than in the Senate.”
Asked by a reporter whether the estimated 11.8 million people who could lose health coverage is all “waste, fraud, and abuse”, Trump said the number was inaccurate.
“I’m saying it’s going to be a very much smaller number than that, and that number will be all waste, fraud, and abuse. If you look, they took a much more liberal stance on the Medicaid situation than they could have.”
Questions loom over what was added and lost amid sprint to pass bill
After hours of frantic dealmaking in the Senate, details concerning what was removed, added, or amended in the bill’s final form continue to trickle in.
Politico has reported that steps were taken to ease some of the measures that analysts said would kneecap the US renewable energy sector, removing a tax on wind and solar projects. The outlet also reported that funding for rural hospitals, which Democrats have said would be hard-hit by cuts to health programmes, will receive $50bn over five years, compared to $25bn in a previous version.
Concessions on changes to food assistance and health programmes for the state of Alaska were also added to the bill to help secure the support of Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Senate Democratic leader says Republicans ‘betrayed’ people with bill
Democratic leaders have slammed the passage of the bill, stating that it will benefit the wealthy while slashing access to essential programmes such as Medicaid.
“Today, Senate Republicans betrayed the American people and covered the Senate in utter shame,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks following the passage of the tax bill. “In one fell swoop, Republicans passed the biggest tax break for billionaires ever seen, paid for by ripping away healthcare from millions of people.”
But the opposition party has rarely looked so incapable of shaping events or challenging the outcome of a piece of legislation. Minutes before the bill passed, Schumer said in a social media post that Democrats had succeeded in striking the term “big beautiful bill” from the official title of the legislation.
Money for rural hospitals pushed Murkowski over the line
It was very tight – 50-50 as you heard. There were three Republican “no” votes: Thom Tillis, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins.
Tillis and Paul we knew were definite nos, Collins had been swivelling. The big turning point, of course, was getting Senator Murkowski from Alaska on board. Senate Majority Leader John Thune had spent a long time speaking to her over the last few hours, convincing her to add her support to Trump’s bill. So, there’s going to be more money for rural hospitals, which will lessen the impact of cuts in Medicaid. But of course, the Democrats will tell you that this is going to add to the bills of ordinary Americans, even with the tax cuts, because suddenly health insurance will become much more expensive as well.
Also in the bill, there’s money for defence, including Donald Trump’s golden dome project, more money for ICE enforcement, more money for the border wall, as well. And as we’ve said, this is going to lead to tax cuts. Essentially, these are now locked in.
One other interesting point, Chuck Schumer, who, of course, is the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, raised a point of order, and he’s managed to have the name of the bill struck. So officially, it is no longer the Big, Beautiful Bill. But of course, we’ve all been calling it that for months, and it’s unlikely to be a name that goes away any time soon. It is a minor, very minor victory for the Democrats on the day that Donald Trump has managed to get his bill pushed through the Senate after 27 hours of debate and discussion.
What happens now?
Now that the Senate has approved Trump’s sweeping tax-cut bill following its marathon vote-a-rama, it will be sent back to the House.
A version of the bill passed in the House in May by a single vote, but lawmakers returning from recess to vote on the bill will have to reconcile the Senate version, which has seen numerous major changes from the original. These changes include severe cuts to Medicaid and a huge increase to the deficit.
While House Republicans have reportedly slammed the amendments behind closed doors, Trump has expressed a desire to sign the bill into law on July 4.
Sweeping tax bill passes after Vance casts tie-breaking vote
The Senate has passed the bill, with the vice president casting a vote to break the 50-50 deadlock.
Senate begins voting on tax bill
The Republican-majority Senate began voting on the massive tax bill that is a central priority of the Trump administration.
Powell says Federal Reserve is not rushing decision on interest rates
The chief of the country’s central bank has said the Fed is waiting to see how Trump’s tariffs will affect the US economy before making a decision on interest rate levels, even as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Powell to slash rates.
“As long as the economy is in solid shape, we think the prudent thing to do is to wait and see what those effects might be,” Powell said of the sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump earlier this year.
Trump threatens primary for critical senator
The US president has again taken to social media to berate Senator Thomas Massie, whose criticism of the tax bill has drawn Trump’s ire.
“New poll: Anybody I Endorse beats Thomas Massie of Kentucky by 25 points,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Get ready. Massie is a very bad guy!”
Republican leader expresses cautious optimism that a deal is in place
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that he believes a deal has been reached, adding with a note of caution that after 24 hours of voting in the Senate he is a “realist”.
“I mean, anybody is welcome to change. You know, we’ve been changing by the minute,” said Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, adding that it has been “a process, but we’re in good shape”.
Senator John Hoeven added that he believes JD Vance will cast a tie-breaking 51st vote. In the US Senate, the sitting vice president can cast a vote in the event of a 50-50 deadlock.
Labour union praises elimination of ban on AI regulation
The AFL-CIO, one of the largest labour unions in the US, has said the removal of a provision that would have banned states from regulating AI is a “huge relief”.
“The reckless provision in the Senate’s budget bill that would have banned AI regulations for years was rejected and removed – a huge relief for working people,” the group said in a social media post.
A Pew Research Center poll found that 55 percent of respondents want more control over how AI is used in their lives, and are more worried about AI regulation being too lax rather than too restrictive. The industry has used its growing political influence to push for fewer regulations.
Why is the US dollar slumping?
The United States dollar has had its worst first six months of the year since 1973, as President Donald Trump’s economic policies have prompted global investors to sell their greenback holdings, threatening the currency’s “safe-haven” status.
The dollar index, which measures the currency’s strength against a basket of six others, including the pound, euro and yen, fell 10.8 percent in the first half of 2025.
To learn more about why, you can read our story here.
Republican senator says she doesn’t know what will happen with bill
Republican Senator Susan Collins has expressed uncertainty over the state of the party’s massive tax bill.
“I truly don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said when asked whether the bill was close to passing.
“I just cancelled my third flight,” Collins added. “I’m trying to rework my schedule.”
Trump says Gaza ceasefire could come ‘sometime next week’
The US president says he is hoping to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas sometime in the next week, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to visit the White House on July 7.
“We hope it’s going to happen, and we’re looking for it to happen sometime next week,” Trump said.
Trump muses about having Musk deported
Trump has said he will “have to take a look” when asked by a reporter whether he would consider deporting Elon Musk, as the split between the two former allies becomes more strained.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,” he added.
In a social media post the day before, Trump said that Musk may get more government subsidies “than any human being in history, by far”.
Trump-Musk feud intensifies as ‘beautiful bill’ heats up on Capitol Hill
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has pushed back on Elon Musk’s criticism that Trump’s bill would balloon the deficit, saying, “I’ll take care of” the country’s finances.
Musk, a Republican mega-donor, renewed his criticism of the sweeping tax-cut and spending bill and pledged to unseat lawmakers who support it.
After weeks of relative silence following his row with Trump, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday as the Senate took up the package, calling it “utterly insane and destructive”.
“Musk cannot stop himself. He is getting on Trump’s bad side again. Tesla international sales have fallen significantly and if he loses US subsidies, US sales are likely to fall as well,” said Stock Trader Network Chief Strategist Dennis Dick.
The rift had resulted in Tesla shares erasing $150bn in market value as investors fear a tougher regulatory road for its self-driving robotaxi that underpins much of the company’s valuation.
Why is Musk calling for a new America Party over Big Beautiful Bill?
Billionaire Elon Musk says he’ll form a new political party in the United States if a Republican-leaning Congress passes President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which proposes tax breaks and funding cuts for healthcare and food programmes.
In a social media post, Musk wrote: “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”
Read the full story here.
Amendment to prevent AI regulation shot down
Republicans have suffered a blow after the Senate adopted an amendment to remove a provision in the “beautiful bill” that would’ve prevented states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
The amendment was adopted 99-1. The vote thwarts attempts to insert the measure into President Trump’s legislation of tax breaks and spending cuts.
Proponents of an AI moratorium argue a patchwork of state and local AI laws is hindering progress in the AI industry and the ability of US firms to compete with China. But state and local legislators and AI safety advocates argued the rule is a gift to an industry that wants to avoid accountability for its products.
Ted Cruz, the Senate commerce chair, had worked on new text that would bar states from regulating AI for five years and had exemptions for laws on child online safety and publicity rights.
Trump open to moving July 4 deadline on tax and spending bill
President Trump says he’s open to moving the July 4 deadline he gave fellow Republicans in the US Senate to get behind the tax and spending bill as deep divisions within the party emerge.
Trump told reporters at the White House he’s willing to shift Friday’s deadline but said it would be wise for Republicans to get on board. He said he expected to get the legislation passed in the end.
“I think we’re going to get there. I think it’s going to do okay,” he said before flying to Florida. “It’s the best bill we’ve ever had. Hopefully, today, final passage. I think Senate today and then we go to the House.”
No room to spare for Republicans as debate drags on
Vice President JD Vance has arrived on Capitol Hill – on hand to break a tie vote if needed. Overnight, Vance summed up his own series of social media posts by simply imploring senators to “Pass the bill”.
What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting – in a process called vote-a-rama – spiralled into an almost round-the-clock marathon as Republican leaders bought time to shore up support.
The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, and tempers flared. GOP leaders have no room to spare with narrow majorities in both chambers.
Stocks struggle over US trade deals and tax bill
Most stock markets have retreated, and the dollar dipped as investors weigh the prospect of US trade deals being made before Trump’s July 9 tariff deadline.
Investors are also keeping an eye on the US president’s multitrillion-dollar tax-cutting bill. Trump has urged lawmakers to pass it by July 4, but that remains uncertain over concerns it will add $3 trillion to deficits.
“The next few days are going to be testing times for governments in many parts of the world as they try to hammer out trade deals with the US,” said Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at AJ Bell.
European markets ticked lower in the absence of trade deal announcements between the EU and the US.
“We expect risk sentiment to remain shaky until a deal is agreed … Investors are on pause for now and are waiting for concrete news before making their next move,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.
Trump warns of 68% tax hike if legislation thwarted
US President Donald Trump has taken to social media to warn that if his “big, beautiful bill” fails to pass in the Senate, the largest tax rise in history is on the way.
Trump said a 68 percent tax increase would result if the legislation is rejected.
“Republicans, the One Big Beautiful Bill, perhaps the greatest and most important of its kind in history, gives the largest Tax Cuts and Border Security ever, Jobs by the Millions, Military/Vets increases, and so much more,” he posted on Truth Social.
“The failure to pass means a whopping 68% Tax increase, the largest in history!!!”
GOP senators tread carefully about criticising Musk
Even as Elon Musk attacked them on social media, Republican senators tried to remain diplomatic and avoid hitting back at the former top Trump adviser.
“At the end of the day, you know, we should be thankful for the work that he did,” Senator Jim Justice said. “But I’m sure Elon’s got a real ego and sometimes egos can really clash.”
Musk on social media said Republicans who vote for the current form of Trump’s big bill “will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth”. Among those up for re-election is Senator Joni Ernst, who is also chair of the Senate DOGE caucus.
“I really appreciate what Elon has done with our DOGE work, and we’re going to keep working on that with various rescission packages,” Ernst told reporters. “But at the end of the day what we also don’t want is a $4.3 trillion tax increase on American taxpayers.”
DREAM Act senator denounces Trump’s ‘big bill’
The second-ranking Democrat in the Senate has chided Trump’s so-called big, beautiful bill for “fighting for bigger tax breaks for multimillionaires and billionaires” as the marathon debate continues.
Senator Dick Durbin, 80, is in his fifth Senate term and was first elected to the House in 1982. He announced in April that he wouldn’t seek re-election.
In the early 2000s, Durbin introduced the DREAM Act, which gives immigrants in the US illegally who grew up in the country a pathway towards US citizenship.
‘Great facility’: Trump’s border tsar praises ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
We’ve been reporting that President Trump is set to open a new detention facility for migrants in Florida on Tuesday.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are debating the details of a bill that could significantly expand funding for deportations. The numbers in federal immigration detention have risen sharply to 56,000 by June 15, from 39,000 when Trump took office, government data show, and his administration has pushed to find more space.
The complex in southern Florida at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport is estimated to cost $450m annually and could house some 5,000 people, officials estimate.
“Great facility,” said Trump border tsar Tom Homan in an interview. “We need more beds. That’s why we need the big, beautiful bill passed.”
Who wins, who loses if Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ passes?
The US Senate continues to debate President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” as Republicans hope to pass it before Friday’s Independence Day holiday.
If the Senate passes its version, then members from both chambers would work to draft compromise legislation that the House and Senate would have to vote on again. If the compromise bill is passed, it would advance to Trump who is expected to sign it into law.
So, who would be some of the winners and losers if the bill – opposed by Democrats and some conservatives – becomes law?
Read the full story here.
Long debate reflects bill’s ‘moral monstrosity’: Murphy
The debate over the Trump administration’s “big, beautiful bill” has just passed 21 hours.
Senator Chris Murphy says the Republicans still cannot secure the 50 votes needed for the legislation to pass “because it’s a moral monstrosity”.
‘It’s not too late, time to speak up,’ says ex-transport secretary
Pete Buttigieg, posting on Facebook, implores voters to step up to Trump’s bill of tax breaks and spending cuts.
“If there was ever a time to call your Senator, this is it. Voting has begun on the GOP plan to cut off health care for working-class Americans and slash taxes for the wealthiest,” he said.
“This bill would kick millions off their health insurance, and thousands will even lose their lives – unless we stop it in its tracks. Some Republicans are breaking ranks, showing it’s not too late. Time to speak up!”
Nevada senator’s clean-energy amendment blocked
Senator Jacky Rosen from Nevada has denounced Republicans for blocking an amendment she said would protect the state’s clean energy industry.
The move to “protect good-paying clean energy jobs” was stymied “because they’d rather give tax breaks to billionaires”, said Rosen.
“I introduced an amendment to protect clean energy tax credits that boost our economy and support our nation’s energy independence,” she added.
Thune says Senate Republicans ‘close’ to passing bill
The Senate majority leader has told reporters that Republicans are “close” to securing the 50 votes needed to pass Trump’s mega-bill.
“We’re winding it down and hopefully getting closer,” he was quoted as saying by The Hill.
The Senate is now more than 19 hours into its marathon session, with votes held on some 33 amendments.
According to ABC News, there are three more votes queued up. But the broadcaster cited parliamentary aides as saying that those may not be the last of the session and that it is unclear how many more will follow.
Vote-a-ramas have been concluded in as little as nine or 10 hours in the recent past, and Democrats have accused Republicans of deliberately slow-walking the process.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia said in a post on X that the Republicans do not have the votes, but that the Democrats “will be here as long as it takes”.
Senate adopts its first amendment to Trump’s mega-bill
The change, proposed by Republican Senator Joni Ernst, will bar federal funds from being used to compensate unemployed individuals who earn at least $1m annually.
Photos: A long night at Senate as Republicans seek to shore up support for bill
Majority leader huddles with Republican holdouts: Report
The Hill is reporting that John Thune has held separate meetings in his office with Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski as he tries to shore up support for Trump’s bill.
Paul, who represents Kentucky, has said he will not vote for the bill because it would raise the country’s debt.
Murkowski of Alaska has not said how she intends to vote, but has opposed the bill’s cuts to the food programme, SNAP.
As we’ve been reporting, Thom Tillis of North Carolina has said he will not vote for the bill over Medicaid cuts.
At the same time, some loosely aligned conservative Senate Republicans – Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming – have pushed for steeper cuts to Medicaid.
Why Trump’s mega bill is likely to pass
Here’s more from Bill Schneider, the professor of public policy at George Mason University.
He says Trump’s mega-bill will “ultimately pass”, even though many Republicans do not like it.
“This is because Republicans don’t dare destroy President Trump’s standing. He has a way of coming after them, which makes them very much afraid of him. He can support opponents when they run for re-election in a Republican primary. He can put up his own people, his MAGA supporters, or run opposition. And at the very least, even if they get nominated, they have to win a Republican primary, and they have to spend a lot of money to get the nomination and to overcome Trump’s opposition,” Schneider explained.
“So his opposition is very meaningful to Republicans. And they’re likely to vote for what he wants, even if they don’t agree with it. And the reason why many Republicans don’t agree with it is one word: debt. They’ve always been a party opposed to the national debt and support trying to reduce the national debt. And this bill increases it by $3 trillion to $4 trillion.”
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ migrant detention centre sparks outrage
The Trump administration is set to unveil a new detention centre for immigrants in Florida on Tuesday.
Deep in the state’s wetlands, the facility is surrounded by alligators and dangerous snakes. It’s drawing condemnation from rights groups and environmentalists.
Democrat senator slams bill’s ban on AI regulation
Christopher Scott Murphy says the ban on regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in the bill currently being debated is “extraordinary” and a “gift to the industry”.
“AI is going to kill a tonne of jobs in this country if it’s not controlled and regulated,” the senator from Connecticut said in a live Instagram video as voting continued after midnight.
“It’s going to lead to the spiritual disintegration of kids and families in this country as basic human functions like conversation and friendship get outsourced to robots,” he added.
“We can decide to protect ourselves from the worst of AI, but the AI industry, the tech industry, got Republicans to put in this bill something extraordinary I’ve never seen before – a ban on states regulating this new technology,” he added.
The Reuters news agency reported on Monday that Republicans have revised the length of the proposed ban to five years, after initially proposing it would last 10 years.
As the Senate continued voting on amendments into Tuesday morning, Murphy added that Republicans are still trying to “trying to rewrite the bill to get 50 votes” from “behind closed doors in between these votes”.
Trump suggests DOGE look at Musk’s companies to save money
The US president has fired off more criticism at his former ally, suggesting that his efficiency department, known as DOGE, should take a look at the subsidies that Musk’s companies have received.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
Senate vote-a-rama extends into second day
It’s currently 2:15am in Washington, DC.
Senate Republicans are still trying to pass Trump’s mega-bill, although Majority Leader John Thune told reporters just after midnight that the vote-a-rama was “hopefully on the home stretch”.
Senate yet to vote on amendment proposing more cuts to Medicaid
The Senate is yet to vote on an amendment from Republican Rick Scott of Florida who wants to cut an additional $313bn from Medicaid.
Scott, along with Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, is reportedly among four conservative Republicans who want to see even steeper cuts to the healthcare programme.
The four Republicans were reportedly seen entering Thune’s office for a meeting at about midnight.
Musk unlikely to create a winning political coalition
We’ve been speaking to Bill Schneider, a professor of public policy at George Mason University, about Musk’s plan to create a new party.
Schneider said that it is unlikely that Musk can create a winning political coalition.
“Elon Musk is a billionaire. There are not enough billionaires to form a party in the US, even if they are unhappy with President Trump,” the scholar said from Washington, DC.
“Now, he has issues with Trump, who is not a very popular figure. He has a lot of opponents, a lot of critics, particularly among women in the US,” he said.
“Republicans, almost all of whom are likely to support this particular bill, are very worried about how much debt it’s creating because of the huge tax cuts. Democrats are worried about the dangers to the safety net. It’s kind of hard to put those two worries, those two constituencies together into one political party,” he added.
If you’re just joining us
Let’s bring you up to speed:
- The Senate is continuing to vote on amendments put forth by Democrats to Trump’s mega bill, but none of the changes has won enough support to pass.
- Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin says his party has the 50 votes needed to pass Trump’s bill and put down the delay on a final vote to sort out the amendments, as well as a ruling on whether Alaska and Hawaii can be exempt from cuts to food assistance.
- Even if the bill passes the Senate, The Hill is reporting that it is likely to face opposition in the House, with at least six moderate Republicans planning to vote “no”.
- The White House says Trump will open the “Alligator Alcatraz” Florida immigration detention centre on Tuesday.
- Trump has approved a new oil pipeline in Montana that would import crude oil from Canada via Toole County.
Republican Alaskan senators vote for food assistance amendment
Two Republican senators from Alaska have joined Democrats to vote on an amendment that would limit cuts to food assistance for some Americans.
Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth said her proposed amendment was designed to “ensure Veterans, foster kids and the homeless aren’t denied [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)] benefits.”
Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan from Alaska voted with Democrats to support the amendment, but it ultimately failed to get enough votes to pass.
Republican Alaskan senators vote for food assistance amendment
Two Republican senators from Alaska have joined Democrats to vote on an amendment that would limit cuts to food assistance for some Americans.
Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth said her proposed amendment was designed to “ensure Veterans, foster kids and the homeless aren’t denied [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)] benefits.”
Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan from Alaska voted with Democrats to support the amendment, but it ultimately failed to get enough votes to pass.
JD Vance urges Republicans to pass Trump’s bill
The US vice president is imploring legislators to approve the “One Big, Beautiful Bill”, saying it will fix illegal immigration into the country.
“The thing that will bankrupt this country more than any other policy is flooding the country with illegal immigration and then giving those migrants generous benefits,” he wrote on X.
“The OBBB fixes this problem. And therefore it must pass,” he said.
Vance referred to changes in Medicaid policy in the bill as “minutiae”, which he says is “immaterial compared to the ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] money and immigration enforcement provisions”.
If the bill fails, “a lot of our progress at the border stops”, he added.
According to the Washington, DC-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, undocumented immigrants contributed $25.7bn in Social Security taxes in 2022, even though “these workers are barred from accessing” Social Security and other programmes.