Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons
The Senate voted 51 – 49 Saturday night to move forward with President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping budget and policy package that touches on tax reform, federal health care programs, and a range of social issues.
The vote followed hours of Republican negotiations. According to Axios, Sens. Ron Johnson, Rick Scott, Mike Lee, and Cynthia Lummis withheld support until party leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, agreed to allow a vote on a Medicaid-related amendment. Sens. Rand Paul and Thom Tillis voted against the motion.
Following the vote, Trump praised the outcome on Truth Social, calling it “a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the ‘GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL.’”
He specifically credited Johnson, Scott, Lee, and Lummis for their efforts, calling them and the other supporters “Republican Patriots who truly love our Country.”
Trump noted that the bill reflects several of his administration’s priorities, such as economic growth, reduced federal spending, border security, support for the military and veterans, targeted Medicaid reforms, and protections for the Second Amendment.
The Senate now begins a lengthy floor process, starting with a full reading of the 940-page bill — requested by Democrats as a procedural delay — followed by a vote-a-rama, an open-ended amendment session in which senators can propose and vote on an unlimited number of changes before final passage.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” notably includes a prohibition on federal funding for Planned Parenthood, one of its most high-profile and contentious provisions. As CatholicVote reported, the measure would block the organization from accessing Medicaid reimbursements and other federal programs, redirecting those funds to community health centers. The measure was originally set to defund the abortion provider for 10 years but was reduced to a one-year ban.
Another major component of the bill is the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit. The credit would increase from $2,000 to $2,200 per child, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2027.
The legislation also seeks to ban the use of federal Medicaid dollars for gender-transition procedures and introduces new federally supported family savings accounts. Each newborn child would be eligible for a $1,000 government contribution under the plan.
