Senate Vote-a-Rama Extends 19 Hours Without Final Bill

Senate Republicans led by Majority Leader John Thune have deviated from tradition by scheduling the high-stakes vote-a-rama during the daytime, a process typically held overnight to wear down senators. This vote-a-rama, lasting nearly 19 hours, involves numerous amendments including a failed effort by Sen. Mike Lee to remove wind and solar tax credits. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins have played pivotal roles, with Collins proposing a controversial amendment to double the rural hospital fund and impose a new tax bracket on mega-millionaires, which ultimately did not pass. Murkowski secured a parliamentary win for Alaska with a carve-out from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program state cost-sharing, though efforts to improve Medicaid payments for Alaska failed. The drawn-out votes show divisions within the GOP, with Collins facing opposition from her party and Murkowski holding more sway. Meanwhile, in Jamaica, Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton announced plans for the largest expansion of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, including a new accident and emergency area, emphasizing that this is a long-term development rather than an election promise.