Senate Advances Big Beautiful Bill with Murkowski Key Yes Vote

The Senate is advancing President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," a sweeping tax and spending package aimed at fulfilling key Republican promises such as border security, national defense strengthening, and economic growth. The bill narrowly passed a procedural vote with a 51-49 margin after intense negotiations, including pivotal support from Sen. Lisa Murkowski and other reluctant GOP senators, while Democrats uniformly opposed it and pushed for an exhaustive floor reading of the bill to delay proceedings. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer insisted on transparency by forcing the bill to be read aloud, a move expected to take up to 15 hours, highlighting the partisan tensions surrounding the legislation. Despite criticisms, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s warning that the bill dangerously increases the debt ceiling by $5 trillion and could stifle renewable energy projects, Senate Republicans remain committed to passing the bill by July 4. Senator Markwayne Mullin emphasized the bill’s departure from Democratic policies and its alignment with President Trump's agenda, stressing the importance of securing 51 votes to move it to the House and ultimately the President’s desk. The bill is now on track for final passage following a planned debate and vote-a-rama after the extended reading period.