The vote 51-50 occurred after tense negotiations that initially had the score 50-50 (the Upper House has 100 seats) and Vance, in his capacity as president of that body saved the fiscal and budgetary plan when it seemed to be on the verge of failure.

Republican leaders in the Senate spent hours trying to reach an agreement with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who was concerned that deep cuts in legislation to the Medicaid health program and federal funding for food assistance would hurt their home state.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican for Louisiana) made a call yesterday afternoon to his party colleagues, concerned about deeper cuts in Medicaid.

Senators held marathon negotiations on the bill over the weekend with the goal of reaching a meeting point before the break for July 4, US Independence Day.

Despite the important legislative achievement they now proclaim, some Republicans are concerned about their future political impact.

President Trump’s gigantic tax and spending cut package would allocate $160 billion to border security and immigration control, $150 billion to the Pentagon budget and raise the national debt ceiling, coupled with significant cuts in health and food programs, which would affect millions of Americans.

The ambitious legislative proposal dubbed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” seeks to consolidate Trump’s fiscal and political priorities for the upcoming election cycle, the midterm elections of 2026.

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