Senate Passes Trump Megabill Amid Medicaid, SNAP Cuts, Murkowski Support

Senator Lisa Murkowski faced heavy criticism after casting the decisive vote to advance President Trump's large budget reconciliation bill through the Senate, despite her admitted reservations about its contents. Murkowski justified her support by highlighting Alaska-specific provisions secured in the bill, including relief from severe Medicaid and SNAP cuts, which she described as an "agonizing" decision made to protect her state's interests. Critics from both parties, including Rep. Jim McGovern and former Sen. Claire McCaskill, condemned her vote as a dereliction of duty and accused Republicans of cynically pushing a politically toxic bill that favors wealthy individuals with permanent tax cuts while imposing delayed Medicaid reductions. House Speaker Mike Johnson showed no intention of revising the bill further, urging the House to pass the legislation as President Trump's initiative. The budget bill, which narrowly passed the Senate 50-50 with Vice President Harris breaking the tie, includes historic cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance, potentially stripping healthcare and food aid from millions of Americans. Observers and political commentators labeled Murkowski's support as emblematic of "swamp-style politics," reflecting the influence of party leadership and state-specific bargaining within a deeply flawed legislative process.