Senate Democrats’ tactics to delay proceedings have concluded, yet Senate Republicans are still not close to casting a final vote on President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
On Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) utilized a procedural strategy that mandated Senate clerks to read the entire text of the 940-page bill supported by the GOP. The reading extended into Sunday, taking almost 16 hours to finish, as reported by Fox News.
Prior to the ultimately successful—albeit contentious—procedural vote, Schumer declared that he would require clerks to read the complete bill aloud. After the nearly 16-hour reading was completed, Schumer took to X to state, “Republicans are squirming.”
“I am fully aware that they have not read the bill, so we are going to ensure they do,” he remarked, although it is noted that Democrats seldom read their own extensive bills, leading some to label Schumer’s move as a political maneuver.
This is a seldom-used tactic that Schumer and Senate Democrats adopted as part of their larger strategy to exert pressure on Republicans, following the GOP’s ongoing reluctance to engage meaningfully with much of President Trump’s legislative proposals.
The last instance of Senate clerks being required to read an entire bill on the Senate floor occurred in 2021, when Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) objected and insisted that then-President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan be read aloud, as noted by Fox.
With the reading now concluded, the Senate will proceed with 20 hours of debate, evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. Senate Democrats are anticipated to utilize their entire time allocation, while Republicans are expected to use only a few hours.
A significant portion of the GOP’s debate time will likely be consumed by opponents of the bill, including Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), whose support for the final passage remains uncertain. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) may face challenges beyond just Paul as the process progresses.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is not expected to change his stance and endorse the final passage of the bill—despite facing public disapproval from President Trump and the potential risk of a primary challenger—unless substantial modifications are made to the Medicaid provisions within the legislation.
Tillis emphasized his opposition by declaring his intention to retire at the conclusion of his term, opting to evade what could be a challenging primary contest.
In the meantime, Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who supported the bill during the initial procedural vote, has also advocated for significant amendments, particularly concerning the Medicaid provider tax rate.
Additionally, there are the fiscal conservatives, who postponed Saturday night’s vote while engaging in negotiations with Thune—supported by Vice President JD Vance—to secure an amendment that addresses the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), which dictates the federal government’s contribution to each state’s Medicaid program.
Changes to FMAP are largely unpopular among most Senate Republicans, with the exception of a group of fiscal conservatives advocating for more extensive spending reductions in the substantial legislation.
Trump praised the approval of his “Big, Beautiful Bill” following an extensive four-hour voting session in the Senate, which will now permit the measure to proceed to debate.
Johnson (R-Wis.), who notably switched his vote from ‘no’ to ‘yes,’ remarked that the extensive bill signifies a “necessary first step” towards fiscal sustainability and tackling the issues left by the Biden administration.
“Biden and the Democrats have left behind significant challenges that we are striving to resolve – an open border, conflicts, and substantial deficits,” Johnson stated. “After collaborating for weeks with President Trump and his highly competent economic team, I am convinced that he perceives this as a necessary first step and will endorse my initiatives to guide America towards fiscal sustainability.”
The vote concluded with a tally of 51-49 along party lines, with only Senators Tillis and Paul (R-Ky.) dissenting. Republicans maintain a 53-47 seat majority in the chamber.
