Senate GOP Delays Trump ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Vote Amid Republican Opposition

Senate Republicans are working intensively to advance President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' a multitrillion-dollar tax-and-spending package that would make parts of the 2017 tax cuts permanent, increase border security funding, and eliminate certain green-energy tax credits, while raising the debt ceiling by about $5 trillion. Despite hopes for a July 4 passage, internal GOP divisions, including opposition to Medicaid cuts and the debt ceiling hike, as well as uncertainty over the bill's final text, have delayed progress, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune describing the planned Saturday procedural vote as 'aspirational.' The GOP's slim 53-47 Senate majority means they can afford only a few defections, and key senators remain undecided, complicating efforts to secure enough votes. President Trump shifted from insisting on a firm July 4 deadline to allowing more time, blaming Democrats for the stalemate despite low bill popularity and significant Democratic opposition due to potential healthcare and food assistance losses. In parallel, the Supreme Court ruled constitutional a key provision of the Affordable Care Act related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, reinforcing the Health Secretary's oversight powers. The bill's fate remains uncertain as Republicans struggle with internal discord and the challenge of passing legislation that can also clear the House.