The US Senate approves Trump's tax bill and sends it to the House of Representatives.

 

The headquarters of the US Congress, with its two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives

The US Senate approves Trump's tax bill and sends it to the House of Representatives.

The U.S. Senate passed President Donald Trump's $3.3 trillion tax and spending cuts bill on Tuesday, after a determined effort by Republican leaders to persuade opponents of the legislation and hand the president a political victory.

Senators voted 51-50 to pass the bill. Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. The package, which now heads to the House of Representatives, combines $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and $1.2 trillion in spending cuts.

The package—informally known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill"—includes the president's entire legislative plan in a single package. Trump has personally pressured lawmakers to expedite the legislation's passage in Congress.

Republicans say passage of the bill will help them maintain their congressional majority in the midterm elections. But polls indicate the bill is deeply unpopular. A recent Pew Research Center poll showed that 49% of Americans oppose the bill, while 29% support it. Another 21% are unsure.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill this week, but the outcome is far from assured, as Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes amid unified Democratic opposition.

Republican Divisions

Conservatives continue to push for additional spending cuts, while moderates have expressed concern about cuts to Medicaid and other social safety net programs. Raising the state and local tax deduction limit from $10,000 to $40,000 for only five years is also vetoed by some New York Republicans, while others oppose cuts to hospital funding.

Any amendments passed by the House would force a second vote in the Senate, potentially derailing Trump's plan to sign the bill by July 4.