Vance casts tie-breaking vote to pass megabill in Senate
Washington D.C. (ABC News)–After three days of debate and drama, the Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s giant tax and immigration bill on Tuesday.
Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote after a 50-50 tally, with three Republicans voting against the sprawling measure.
The bill must now go to the House for final approval. But it could face some issues there, especially among GOP fiscal hawks, as the Senate version is projected to add roughly $1 trillion more to the deficit than what the House passed back in May.
President Trump learned about the Senate passage of his domestic policy bill during a roundtable event as he toured the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida.
“I was also wondering how we doing, because I know this is prime time, it shows that I care about you, because I’m here and I probably should be there, but we do care,” Trump said.
Trump said that he will be going back to Washington to celebrate.
“We’re gonna finish over here, and then we’ll go over there. We’ll go back and celebrate the big, beautiful bill,” Trump said. Though notably, Democrats had the title “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” stricken just before the final vote.
“You sure that’s right?” Trump asked the reporter when informed of the results.
“Wow,” was Trump’s response when he was told the information was correct.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who quickly left after casting her vote on Tuesday, pinned her opposition to the bill on the “harmful impact it will have on Medicaid.”
“I strongly support extending the tax relief for families and small businesses. My vote against this bill stems primarily from the harmful impact it will have on Medicaid, affecting low-income families and rural health care providers like our hospitals and nursing homes,” the Republican wrote in a statement.
Collins said 400,000 of her constituents — nearly a third of the state’s population — depend on Medicaid.
