Senate Republicans Narrowly Advance Trump $4.5T Tax, Spending Bill

The Republican-controlled Senate narrowly advanced President Donald Trump's $4.5 trillion tax-cut and spending bill in a dramatic 51-49 procedural vote after hours of intense negotiations and last-minute holdouts. Senators Thom Tillis and Rand Paul opposed the measure, while Senator Ron Johnson flipped his vote to support it, allowing the bill to move forward despite initial resistance. The 940-page legislation aims to extend and expand the 2017 tax cuts, increase military and border security spending, and includes controversial provisions that have drawn Democratic criticism for favoring the wealthy at the expense of social programs. Senate Democrats forced the entire bill to be read aloud on the floor, a move designed to delay proceedings and highlight the bill's contents, potentially adding up to 12 hours before a final vote. Vice President JD Vance and GOP leaders played key roles in persuading holdouts and managing internal Republican divisions ahead of the vote. The narrow passage marks a significant step toward meeting President Trump's July 4 deadline for enacting his top legislative priorities.