Senate Advances Donald Trump-Backed “Big Beautiful Bill” in 51-49 Vote After Late-Night Standoff [WATCH]

The U.S. Senate voted 51-49 on Saturday night to advance President Donald Trump’s sweeping “Big Beautiful Bill,” a key step toward full passage of one of the administration’s top legislative priorities.

“Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the “GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,” but, it wouldn’t have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis. They, along with all of the other Republican… pic.twitter.com/RHy9tjsr3o

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 29, 2025

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The vote came after hours of intense negotiations, delays, and a dramatic appearance by Vice President J.D. Vance, who arrived at the Capitol to potentially cast a tie-breaking vote.

Vice President Vance appeared on the Senate floor shortly before 8:30 p.m., signaling the high stakes surrounding the procedural vote.

Earlier, three Republican senators—Rand Paul (KY), Ron Johnson (WI), and Thom Tillis (NC)—had voted against advancing the bill, narrowing the Republican majority’s margin and raising the possibility that Vance would be needed to break a 50-50 tie.

By the time Vance arrived, five Republican senators had yet to vote, creating uncertainty around the outcome.

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One of the first to act after the vice president’s arrival was Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), who voted “yes.”

Attention then focused on Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), often considered one of the most unpredictable votes in the GOP conference.

Murkowski was seen in extended conversations with Vice President Vance and senior Republican leaders.

At 9:16 p.m., she cast her vote in favor of advancing the bill.

Following Murkowski’s decision, the focus shifted to Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Mike Lee (R-UT), all of whom had expressed reservations about the legislation and were seen as aligned with Senator Johnson, who had already voted “no.”

The group of remaining holdouts was observed in multiple discussions with leadership and the vice president over the next hour.

Senator Johnson was later seen in Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-SD) office, and he told reporters it was “possible” he could reconsider his position.

Around 10:45 p.m., Senator Johnson announced that he would change his vote to “yes.”

Shortly after, Senators Scott, Lummis, and Lee also voted in favor, bringing the total vote to 51-49.

Senators Tillis and Paul were the only Republicans to oppose the bill.

Now cleared for debate, the legislation will proceed under the budget reconciliation process.

The next phase allows for up to 20 hours of debate and amendment proposals from senators.

Contentious provisions—such as changes to Medicaid, energy tax credits, and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction—are likely to be the focus of these amendments.

Any provision ruled unrelated to federal budget matters may be removed under the Byrd Rule.

The upcoming amendment process could be pivotal in securing votes from GOP senators who opposed advancement but are open to supporting the bill in its final form.

With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, GOP leaders can only afford to lose three Republican votes if Democrats remain united in opposition, as expected.

The Senate version of the bill includes several modifications from the House-passed version, which may complicate reconciliation between the two chambers.

President Trump has pressed lawmakers to finalize the bill by July 4, calling for swift action.

Senate Majority Leader Thune has publicly stated that the Senate will not go into recess until the bill is passed.

Following the vote, President Trump posted a message on Truth Social, announcing plans to meet with potential primary challengers to Senator Thom Tillis.

#BREAKING: President Trump announces he will be meeting with PRIMARY CHALLENGER contenders against Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), after Tillis voted not to advance the Big Beautiful Bill.

Talk about a FAFO moment.

“I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for… pic.twitter.com/bgbUAY3xf2

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 29, 2025

Trump’s statement comes after Tillis voted against the bill and has faced criticism from conservative activists.

The president previously threatened a primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) during budget proceedings in the House, though no challenge has materialized following Roy’s vote in support of the bill.

The Senate is expected to reconvene Sunday to begin formal debate and amendment consideration.

Final passage of the bill would send it back to the House, where further negotiations could follow depending on how much the Senate version diverges from the original.

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