House leaders eye Wednesday vote on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ as sleepless Senate drudges on
House lawmakers could kick off consideration of President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill” as soon as Wednesday morning. A notice sent to congressional offices on Sunday night indicated House GOP leaders think they may begin the process at 9 a.m. Wednesday with an initial House-wide vote. Nothing is set in stone, however, and the Senate is still working its way through the massive piece of legislation as of Monday morning. SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICAN EYES BID FOR THOM TILLIS SENATE SEAT AFTER TRUMP ATTACK “The president has been very clear that it’s time to get this bill out of Congress and over to his desk,” House GOP Policy Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital. “We’re going to celebrate Independence Day with a big, beautiful signing ceremony and finally deliver this tax relief to American families.” The initial House-wide vote would be a “rule” vote, a procedural hurdle to allow lawmakers to begin debating the bill. That could set up a final vote by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, depending on last-minute maneuvering to rally support. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation is considered chamber-wide, is likely to consider the bill on Tuesday. The initial version of the bill passed the House of Representatives by just one vote in late May. House GOP leaders are facing similarly slim odds now, with just four Republican defections being enough to sink the bill, assuming all Democrats vote against it as expected. Some House Republicans have already voiced concerns about some of the Senate’s key modifications to the bill. Moderates are wary of additional cost-sharing burdens for states that expanded their Medicaid populations under the Affordable Care Act, while conservatives argue other measures in the bill will mean it adds more to the $36 trillion national debt than the House version. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to take their concerns to leadership or their Senate counterparts rather than airing those grievances on social media. Meanwhile, leadership allies have been hitting the media sphere in support of the bill. “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill delivers President Trump’s pro-worker promises by eliminating tax on tips, overtime, and auto interest, while also delivering tax relief for seniors,” House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., posted on X amid a litany of other statements promoting the bill. THOM TILLIS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SENATE AFTER CLASH WITH TRUMP Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote, “The average taxpayer in my district would face a 26% tax increase if we don’t pass the One Big Beautiful Bill. Failure is not an option. We must pass this bill to prevent the largest tax hike in history!” The 940-page legislation is aimed at advancing Trump’s priorities on taxes, the border, energy, defense and the national debt. The president has said he wants the bill on his desk on or around the Fourth of July. Additionally, the legislation could still change before it gets to Trump – the Senate is kicking off a marathon “vote-a-rama” on the bill with various senators on both sides offering an unlimited number of amendments.
Trump’s 24th week set to focus on ‘big, beautiful bill’ passage ahead of Independence Day deadline
President Donald Trump‘s 24th week back in the Oval Office is set to focus on Republican lawmakers sprinting to meet a July 4 deadline to pass a massive piece of legislation that will advance the president’s agenda, while the White House simultaneously juggles ongoing talks related to conflict and tensions in the Middle East. Trump’s 23rd week in office was one of his most consequential on the books after he ordered U.S. military strikes on a trio of nuclear facilities in Iran last Saturday evening that critics said threatened to pull the U.S. into another war. Instead, the strikes appear to have wiped out Iran’s burgeoning nuclear program that had the Middle East and nations worldwide on edge. It ended in a ceasefire between Iran and Israel as Trump took a victory lap for ending the “12 Day War.” “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!” Trump posted to Truth Social last week. SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE Republicans in Washington, D.C., are hyper-focused on passing the “one big, beautiful bill” this week, ahead of lawmakers’ July 4 deadline to land the legislation on Trump’s desk for his signature. The budget reconciliation bill, if passed, will advance Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. The legislation is currently before the Senate. Senate Republicans successfully carried the legislation over a procedural hurdle late on Saturday in a 51-49 party-line vote after hours of negotiations. All Republicans voted in support of advancing the bill except for Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Rand Paul, R-Ky. Tillis announced on Sunday, after bucking Republican colleagues and the president, that he would not seek reelection in 2026. SCHUMER TO FORCE SENATE READING OF TRUMP’S ENTIRE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Following the procedural vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., required clerks on the Senate floor to read the entire 940-page Senate GOP’s version of Trump’s megabill as a delay tactic that stalled debate on the package by about 16 hours. Senate lawmakers will hold 20 hours of debate that is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans as the bill moves along ahead of the Friday deadline. Senate Democrats are expected to use all of their allotted time, while Senate Republicans will likely only use a portion of their hours. “Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the “GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,” but, it wouldn’t have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis,” Trump posted to Truth Social overnight Saturday. GOP SENATOR CALLS FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN’S FIRING AFTER SERVING MEDICAID BLOW TO TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “They, along with all of the other Republican Patriots who voted for the Bill, are people who truly love our Country! As President of the USA, I am proud of them all, and look forward to working with them to GROW OUR ECONOMY, REDUCE WASTEFUL SPENDING, SECURE OUR BORDER, FIGHT FOR OUR MILITARY/VETS, ENSURE THAT OUR MEDICAID SYSTEM HELPS THOSE WHO TRULY NEED IT, PROTECT OUR SECOND AMENDMENT, AND SO MUCH MORE.” The White House is expected to hold ongoing talks with Iran this week after the U.S. successfully carried out military strikes on three nuclear facilities in the country last Saturday. “So Iran wants to meet. As you know, their sites were obliterated. Their very evil nuclear sites,” Trump told the media last week. Details related to the reported discussions are vague, with Iran denying it is participating in ongoing talks, while the White House said the U.S. remains in close communication with Iranians and intermediaries. GRAHAM PUTS FORTH GROUND RULES FOR IRAN NEGOTIATIONS, SAYS ‘WE’RE IN TROUBLE’ UNTIL CERTAIN CHANGES MADE “I spoke to our special envoy Witkoff at length this morning and I can assure all of you we continue to be in close communication with the Iranians and through our intermediaries as well, namely the Qataris, who have been an incredible ally and partner throughout this entire effort,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing on Thursday. “And as I said, this administration is always focused on diplomacy and peace, and we want to ensure we can get to a place where Iran agrees to a non-enrichment civil nuclear program. “The president wants peace. He always has, and right now we’re on a diplomatic path with Iran. The president and his team, namely special envoy Witkoff, continue to be in communication with the Iranians and especially our Gulf and Arab partners in the region to come to an agreement with Iran,” she added. Trump announced on June 21 that the U.S. successfully carried out strikes on Iran in a Truth Social post that was not preceded by media leaks or speculation that an attack was imminent. The unexpected social media post was followed just hours later by a brief Trump address to the nation while flanked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. “A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan,” Trump said from the White House late on Saturday in an address to the nation regarding the strikes. “Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.” GRAHAM PUTS FORTH GROUND RULES FOR IRAN NEGOTIATIONS, SAYS ‘WE’RE IN TROUBLE’ UNTIL CERTAIN CHANGES MADE The operation included the longest B-2 spirit bomber mission since 2001, the second-longest
Rep. Steube slams Senate parliamentarian for gutting Trump’s legislative agenda
An unelected Senate parliamentarian should not be deciding what stays and what doesn’t in the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told Fox News Channel in an interview that earned President Trump’s approval. Conservatives were furious on Thursday morning after learning Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled several key reforms and tweaks to Medicaid in the Senate GOP’s version of President Trump’s bill did not pass muster with Senate Rules. One senator, Roger Marshall, of Kansas, called for MacDonough to be replaced. Steube was a guest on FOX Report on Sunday morning, when host Jon Scott asked him where he stood on whether the parliamentarian should have been overruled or even fired. He agreed with Marshall. GOP SENATOR CALLS FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN’S FIRING AFTER SERVING MEDICAID BLOW TO TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “Yeah, I had called for her to be fired,” Steube said. “I don’t think that one person who’s unelected, who got appointed over a decade ago, should be the one deciding what stays in and what doesn’t.” Lawmakers across the U.S. were elected by their constituents to make those decisions; not the parliamentarians, he said. At the moment, Republicans hold majorities in the House and the Senate. MacDonough was appointed by the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was a Democrat. FURY ERUPTS AS UNELECTED SENATE ‘SCOREKEEPER’ BLOCKS TRUMP’S AGENDA Steube questioned why current Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., would not replace MacDonough with a Republican appointee. “We’ve certainly called for that,” Steube said. “Thune has said he’s not going to do that, so they’re going to move forward.” Scott noted that MacDonough has said she is supposed to be call balls and strikes, not make political decisions. When Scott asked Steube if he thought MacDonough was working for the Democrats, the lawmaker noted she was appointed by one. SEVERAL PROVISIONS FAIL TO PASS MUSTER WITH SENATE RULES IN ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “What House lawmakers that have been elected by the people passed by a majority of the House of Representatives and sent over to the Senate are now getting struck by one person who was appointed by Harry Reid,” Steube said. “I certainly don’t think that’s what the American people voted for. Trump later posted about Steube’s interview on Truth Social. “Great Congressman Greg Steube is 100% correct,” the president wrote. “An unelected Senate Staffer (Parliamentarian), should not be allowed to hurt the Republicans Bill. Wants many fantastic things out. NO!” Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Trump reacts to Tillis not seeking re-election, sends warning to ‘cost cutting Republicans’
President Donald Trump celebrated the retirement announcement of one of the two Republicans who voted against advancing his “big, beautiful bill.” “Great News! ‘Senator’ Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “For all cost-cutting Republicans, of which I am one, REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected. Don’t go too crazy! We will make it all up, times 10, with GROWTH, more than ever before,” he continued in a separate post. The North Carolina Republican announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election in the 2026 cycle. Tillis would have been among the most vulnerable Republicans running next year. He faced threats from Trump to face a challenger after his vote against the president’s agenda Saturday night. SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICAN EYES BID FOR THOM TILLIS SENATE SEAT AFTER TRUMP ATTACK The lawmaker voted against advancing the bill and is likely to vote against final passage, because deep Medicaid cuts inside the colossal bill brought on changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate. THOM TILLIS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SENATE AFTER CLASH WITH TRUMP Tillis railed against the slow death of bipartisanship in Washington in a statement. “In Washington over the last few years, it’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species,” he said. TRUMP THREATENS TO SUPPORT A PRIMARY CHALLENGER AGAINST GOP SENATOR FOR OPPOSING ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ His announcement also comes after Trump spent much of Saturday evening blasting Tillis as a “grandstander” and vowing to interview potential primary challengers, while Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and his leadership team worked over holdout fiscal hawks. “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Tillis’ retirement announcement draws reactions from Trump critic Jeff Flake, Bernie Sanders: ‘A cult’
Former Senator Jeff Flake, one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics during his first administration, reacted to Sen. Thom Tillis’ retirement plans on Sunday. Tillis, who was one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the 2026 cycle, had faced threats from Trump to endorse a challenger after Tillis voted against the president’s “big, beautiful bill,” on Saturday night. In an X post, Flake speculated that Tillis could have won re-election, but only if he took certain positions. “He could win again, but only by taking positions he doesn’t believe in,” Flake, who served as U.S. ambassador to Turkey during the Biden administration, said. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES REPUBLICAN FAMILY FEUD AS SENATE REVEALS ITS FINAL TEXT “It’s an honor to serve in the Senate — but not at any cost,” he added. Tillis said on Sunday that he plans to retire at the end of his term in 2026. In a statement, the North Carolina Republican referenced “the greatest form of hypocrisy in American politics.” “When people see independent thinking on the other side, they cheer,” Tillis said. “But when those very same people see independent thinking coming from their side, they scorn, ostracize, and even censure.” “In Washington over the last few years, it’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species,” he added. Tillis added that the choice broke down to either spending time with his family or navigating “the political theater and partisan gridlock,” in Washington, D.C. “It’s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election,” he said. SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also reacted to Tillis’ announcement with a criticism of Trump. “I do not agree with N.C. Senator Thom Tillis on much. But he’s right on this,” Sanders’ post began. He added, “Trump’s Republican Party does not allow for independent thought. The Republican Party today is a cult. Either you do as Trump wants, or you’re out. Pathetic.” On Saturday evening, Trump blasted Tillis as a “grandstander” and expressed interest in interviewing potential primary challengers. “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Curtis Sliwa vows to stay in NYC mayoral race as donors plot to stop Mamdani
EXCLUSIVE: New York City Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa slammed the door on any talk of him dropping out of the race, and blamed incumbent Eric Adams for the rise of socialist Zohran Mamdani. Prominent donors are exploring ways to get Sliwa to drop out of the race to open up the GOP nomination – with Adams being touted to replace him, according to a New York Post report. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani last week, could also be on the ticket in November. But Sliwa, a lifelong New Yorker and founder of the Guardian Angels crime-prevention group, insisted to Fox News Digital that he is the man for the job. He also spoke about his fractured relationship with President Donald Trump and said he would welcome the president’s endorsement, should it come. ZOHRAN MAMDANI REPEATEDLY PRESSED ON WHETHER HE CONDEMNS ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ TERM IN NBC INTERVIEW He said the city needs a fighter and he has already risked his life to make the city safer – and has the battle scars to prove it. The Brooklyn-born 71-year-old famously survived a mob hit in 1992 in which he was shot multiple times inside a moving taxi before jumping out through a window. “The only way you get me out of this race before Nov. 4 is in a coffin, in a pine box,” he said. “And people know the Gottis and Gambinos tried that in 1992, and it didn’t work and this won’t work either. Be prepared to see Curtis Sliwa on the Republican line on Nov. 4.” Sliwa has led the Guardian Angels since 1979 and said what separates him from the field is simple: He rides the subways, talks to the people and knows the neighborhoods by heart. “I’m the only real tried and true New Yorker. Andrew Cuomo hasn’t lived in the city since 1990. Mamdani goes back and forth to Uganda. Eric Adams? He lives in Fort Lee,” Sliwa said in a dig at Adams owning a property in New Jersey. “As goes the subway, so goes New York City. That’s our veins and arteries. None of these other guys are in the system. I live there.” Political experts consider Sliwa’s election bid as a long shot. He ran against Adams in the 2021 election and lost by 66.1% to 27.4%. But the chips could finally fall Sliwa’s way in November if the left and center vote splits – with voters balking at Mamdani’s far-left agenda and both Adams and former Cuomo siphoning off Democratic votes with Independent runs. WASHINGTON POST BASHES SOCIALIST ZOHRAN MAMDANI AS POTENTIAL DISASTER FOR NEW YORK CITY “Oh, I don’t care how many candidates are in the race. Look, we wouldn’t be in this situation, people wouldn’t even know who Zohan Mamdani is if Eric Adams had fairly been a successful Democratic elected mayor… Republicans don’t trust him, Democrats don’t want him… He is corrupt.” Adams’ tenure was marred by federal corruption charges brought under the Biden administration, including accusations of wire fraud and solicitation of campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Adams denied the charges, which were later dropped by the Trump administration. Adams’ spokesperson, Kayla Mamelak Altus, blasted Sliwa’s characterization of the mayor, telling Fox News Digital Sliwa is becoming “more detached from reality every day and nothing he ever says should be taken seriously.” In the interview, Sliwa also took aim at Mamdani’s socialist policies, which include a citywide rent freeze, free public bus service and higher property taxes on wealthy neighborhoods – all ideas that critics say have already strained budgets and backfired in Chicago under Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Just go to Chicago and see the results of what a socialist mayor will not be able to do for you,” Sliwa said. “There’s a lot of promise, but there’s no delivery.” Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Sliwa said his campaign is focused on public safety and housing affordability, embracing the slogan “improve, don’t move,” which taps into disgruntled voters who may seek to join the exodus of people fleeing the city in recent years. He also thinks his no-kill policy for the city’s animal shelters will bring in moderate Democrats, women voters, younger generations and animal advocates who might not typically support a Republican candidate. Sliwa is known for his deep love of cats, often highlighting his devotion to rescuing and caring for strays. Sliwa scoffed at the notion that Mamdani’s social media influence could be a deciding factor, arguing the race will be won by connecting with people on the ground. The assemblyman has nearly 2 million followers on Instagram, compared to Sliwa’s 66,000, while the socialist candidate has more than 910,000 followers on TikTok compared to Sliwa’s 183,000. ‘DELUSIONAL’ NYC POLITICIANS CALLED OUT BY GUARDIAN ANGELS FOUNDER OVER SUBWAY VIOLENCE: ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’ “I already know how to appeal to young people,” Sliwa said, noting he’s been recruiting young people for decades to lead the Guardian Angels. “My Baby Boomer generation talks about Gen Z like they’re lazy or stupid… They couldn’t be more wrong. That just pushes them into Mamdani’s camp.” A Trump endorsement could also shift momentum in Sliwa’s favor. Though he called his relationship with the president a “love-hate” one, Trump’s rallies in the Bronx and at Madison Square Garden last year suggest a shifting political tide in the city – and a joint appearance with Sliwa could prove a game-changer. “I don’t talk to President Trump on the phone. I haven’t been to Mar-a-Lago or gone to Washington,” Sliwa said. “He seems to talk to Eric Adams. Look, he saved him from going to prison, I understand that. In the last election, I voted for him and I encouraged people to vote for him.” But Sliwa said he is open to receiving Trump’s backing, even if the race is not on the president’s radar. “Well, if it comes, that’s fine. If it doesn’t come, remember I ran the last
SCOOP: House Republican eyes bid for Thom Tillis Senate seat after Trump attack
FIRST ON FOX: A first-term House Republican and military veteran is eyeing a bid for Sen. Thom Tillis’ North Carolina Senate seat after the GOP lawmaker announced he would not run for re-election, a source close to the congressman told Fox News Digital. Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., a former Army Special Forces Officer who was deployed to Afghanistan, was elected to represent North Carolina’s 10th congressional district in November 2024. It comes after President Donald Trump pledged to find a primary challenger for Tillis over the senator’s decision to vote “no” on a key procedural hurdle to advance the commander-in-chief’s “big, beautiful bill.” SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE Harrigan was elected to replace former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. He’s among the first to express interest in Tillis’ seat in what could shape up into a crowded Republican primary race ahead of the 2026 midterms. Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., another first-term House Republican, is also considering a bid for Tillis’ Senate seat, a source familiar with his plans told Fox News Digital. Moore is the former speaker of the North Carolina state House of Representatives. Tillis revealed he would not run for re-election in a bombshell statement on Sunday afternoon, criticizing the current political environment. “Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don’t give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail. After they get elected, they don’t bother to do the hard work to research the policies they seek to implement and understand the consequences those policies could have on that young adult living in a trailer park, struggling to make ends meet,” Tillis said. “As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven’t exactly been excited about running for another term. That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home.” The statement came on the second continuous day that senators are wrestling with the “one big, beautiful bill,” a vast piece of legislation advancing Trump’s agenda on tax, immigration, energy, defense, and the national debt. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES REPUBLICAN FAMILY FEUD AS SENATE REVEALS ITS FINAL TEXT Tillis said he had objections to the bill’s spending cuts targeting Medicaid, arguing they would be damaging to rural communities and hospitals in North Carolina. The senate voted 51-49 to begin debate on the legislation late on Saturday. Tillis and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., were the only two Republicans to vote “no.” Trump posted on Saturday, “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Mike Lee preemptively drops ‘big beautiful bill’ provision to sell federal lands that riled GOP colleagues
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee preemptively withdrew a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Saturday evening that would have allowed for the sale of federal lands for development after widespread outrage among his conservative colleagues. “Over the past several weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to members of the community, local leaders, and stakeholders across the country. While there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation – and in some cases, outright lies – about my bill, many people brought forward sincere concerns,” Lee said in a message posted to his X account on Saturday evening. Lee, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he pulled the provision after he failed to secure “safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families,” and not to China or corporations. The Senate parliamentarian ruled on Monday that the provision’s original language did not comply with strict rules related to what could be included in reconciliation legislation, with Lee’s office resubmitting the provision with new language before pulling it altogether on Saturday evening. Lee said he maintains his long-held position that the U.S. government owns too much land that is often mismanaged and leaves Americans, most notably in Western states, with higher tax burdens. HOUSE GOP LEADERSHIP TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER PASSING TRUMP’S ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “I continue to believe the federal government owns far too much land – land it is mismanaging and in many cases ruining for the next generation,” Lee wrote in his post. “Under Democratic presidents, massive swaths of the West are being locked away from the people who live there, with no meaningful recourse.” Lee had included a mandate for sales of millions of acres of federal lands in a draft provision of the tax cut package earlier this month. He preemptively pulled the provision on Saturday ahead of a procedural vote, as a handful of Republican lawmakers in both chambers publicly denounced the provision and said they would vote against the bill if it was included. “We’ve got the votes to strike it,” Montana Sen. Steve Daines said Thursday of Lee’s provision. “We’re ready.” SENATE GOP AIMS TO APPROVE MAJOR LEGISLATION NEXT WEEK AS TRUMP TOUTS PARTY UNITY “I agree with my colleagues that the federal government has mismanaged federal lands for decades. But I don’t agree with their solution. The solution is not to sell public lands. The solution is better management. Let’s send legislation to POTUS desk to improve management and access. I remain a no on the senate reconciliation bill,” Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke posted to X last week ahead of Lee pulling the provision. Zinke served as President Donald Trump‘s secretary of the Department of the Interior during his first administration. “The entire Montana delegation has been united on this since Day One: public lands belong in public hands. Proud to work with @SteveDaines to block the sale of public lands. Now let’s pass the Big, Beautiful Bill so we can implement the America First agenda Montanans overwhelmingly support,” Montana Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy posted to X on Sunday in response to Daines saying he and Sheehy “worked together to block this provision from being included in the Senate reconciliation bill.” “The people of Idaho have been clear – we do NOT support the sale of our public lands to the highest bidder. I am proud to help lead the effort to remove this provision from the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch posted to X after Lee said he would pull the provision. MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE Lawmakers are on a tight 4th of July deadline to get the legislation, which will advance Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt, to the president’s desk. Senate Republicans successfully carried the legislation over a procedural hurdle late on Saturday after hours of negotiations. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Dem delay tactic ends, debate begins on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
Senate Democrats’ delay tactic has finally come to a close, but Senate Republicans are still a ways out from voting on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., forced clerks on the Senate floor to read aloud the entirety of the Senate GOP’s version of Trump’s megabill on Saturday. In all, reading the 940-page legislative behemoth bled well into Sunday and took nearly 16 hours. SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE Schumer announced that he would be forcing the clerks to read the bill ahead of the ultimately successful, albeit drama-filled, procedural vote. And after forcing the reading of the bill, he said on X, “Republicans are squirming.” “I know damn well they haven’t read the bill, so we’re going to make them,” he said. It’s an oft-unused strategy Schumer and Senate Democrats deployed as part of the pain campaign against Republicans, who have iced them out from having input on the president’s agenda. SCHUMER FORCES READING OF TRUMP’S ENTIRE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AS SENATE BRACES FOR ALL-NIGHTER The last time Senate clerks were forced to read the entirety of a bill on the floor was in 2021, when Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., similarly objected and demanded that former President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Act be read aloud. Now with the reading dispensed, lawmakers will trudge onward with 20 hours of debate evenly divided between both Democrats and Republicans. Senate Democrats are expected to squeeze every second from their allotted time, while Senate Republicans will likely only use a couple of hours at most. That time on the GOP side will be used by those already critical of the bill, like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. While his support for final passage is unlikely, he is not the only headache that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., may have to worry about. KEY GOP SENATOR DEFECTS ON CRUCIAL VOTE, IMPERILING TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ IN NARROW MAJORITY Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is unlikely to change his mind and vote for final passage – despite Trump bashing him on social media and threatening a primary challenger – unless substantial changes are made to the Medicaid adjustments in the bill. Tillis further steeled his resolve against the bill when he announced his retirement from Washington at the end of his term, opting against a likely grueling primary battle. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who supported the legislation through the first test, also wants to see real changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate. Then there are the fiscal hawks who held the vote hostage on Saturday night as they negotiated with Thune, with the help of Vice President JD Vance, to get an amendment to make changes to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), which is the amount that the federal government pays for Medicaid to each state. Changes to FMAP are not popular among most Senate Republicans, save for fiscal hawks looking for steeper cuts in the colossal bill.
GOP, Dem senators remain divided over Medicaid after Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ vote
Senate Republicans and Democrats remain divided on the Medicaid issue hours after President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” passed a key Senate vote Saturday night. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., both appeared on “Fox News Sunday” to discuss Trump’s legislation in the wake of the 51-49 vote. Banks argued that the Medicaid reforms would only affect certain people. “The Medicaid reforms would affect able-bodied Americans, those who are sitting at home who can work, who don’t work, who don’t have a sick kid or a sick mom, they shouldn’t receive Medicaid without working,” he said. “And on top of that, the bill would take Medicaid away from illegal immigrants.” SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE Coons conceded there are states that are using their state funding to provide healthcare “for people who are undocumented,” though argued that Trump’s $900 billion cuts to the program “are not about throwing people off of Medicaid who are not here legally.” “They are about imposing more and more requirements on the beneficiaries of Medicaid,” the Democrat said. Banks argued that taxes for everyday Americans will go up if the bill doesn’t get passed. “If we don’t pass this bill, everyone’s taxes on average will go up $2,000 a household, and that’s not fair to the regular Americans who work hard every day,” he said. Lingering concerns in both chambers about Medicaid — specifically the Medicaid provider tax rate and the effect of direct payments to states — energy tax credits, the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and others proved to be pain points that threatened the bill’s survival. TRUMP, LAWMAKERS REACT AFTER ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CLEARS SENATE HURDLE Coons, however, said that Americans who don’t believe the Democrats’ standpoint should listen to Sen. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., who, along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted against the bill. “Don’t believe me. Listen to Senator Tom Tillis,” Coons said. “He’s been saying loudly this bill is a bad deal for the middle class. It’ll raise healthcare costs and throw millions off of needed health care.” On Sunday morning, Trump slammed both Tillis and Paul on social media. Hours later, Tillis announced he would not seek reelection. Following the vote, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., demanded that the text of the behemoth bill be read aloud before debates begin. After 14 hours, Senate clerks were still about 120 pages short of finishing reading aloud the 940-page text. Once the reading is finished, the two parties will each get about 10 hours to debate on the bill. The timeline puts a likely Senate vote-a-rama on the bill in the early morning hours of Monday. A final passage vote could happen between late morning and late Monday night. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report.