After dozens of attempts by Democrats to amend the bill to death, refer it back to committee, or prove that something – anything – violates the Byrd Rule, the Senate on July 1 held its final vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. With a 51-50 vote (Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote), the upper chamber passed its version of the bill, returning it to the House for a vote on the various and significant changes. In the end, three Republican senators – Rand Paul (Kentucky), Thom Tillis (North Carolina), and Susan Collins (Maine) – voted “nay.” Democrats, of course, were united in their opposition.
The House is expected to take it up and vote as early as Wednesday, July 2. President Donald Trump and the GOP plan to have the reconciliation package fully passed and on the Resolute Desk for signing before July 4. But that all depends on the bill’s fate in the lower chamber, which remains at risk. Yes, the House initially passed a version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May, but it wasn’t this version. What they passed took hours of cajoling and compromise, and still it only squeaked by 215-214. Will enough Republican representatives accept the changes made by the Senate?
