June 29, 2025

Last night the Senate voted to begin formal debate on its Reconciliation bill (as currently drafted).  It was a procedural vote that is part of a two step process the Senate is going through.  The vote on the motion passed narrowly with all Dems voting ‘no’. The final vote count was 51-49.

So now we are in the debate phase in the Senate and at the present time, clerks are reading every word of the bill aloud on the floor.  The bill is about 950 pages and this portion of the debate is expected to take about 15 hours to complete after which time the Senate will open the floor to debate to include voting on any amendments Senate lawmakers wish to put forward.  This is expected to force numerous votes by Senate lawmakers (‘Vote-A-Rama’).
President Trump has intervened numerous times to persuade (in this case) Senate Republicans to vote ‘yes’ to moving the bill forward in the Senate despite their public objections to the various provisions.

Yesterday Senator Tom Tillis (R-North Carolina) tweeted about his opposition to the bill and his intention to vote ‘no’ before the vote was taken.  Tillis followed through and voted against moving the bill forward.  President Trump followed up online posting on social media and expressing his outrage with the Tillis ‘no’ vote, writing that he would be meeting with various candidates who want to primary Tillis as the country moves towards midterm elections.  This is precisely what House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to see happen.  Trump is sending a clear message and reminding House Republicans what could happen if they don’t fall in line with their Republican colleagues when the Senate bill passes and moves back to the House.  Remember: If the Senate passes it will then go back to the House with the changes the Senate has made and another vote will need to occur in the House on the changes. Of course this is all contingent on the Senate passing the bill, but it is increasingly likely it will.  Whether all of this takes place by July 4 is still an open question but it looks like the Senate is preparing to vote on the bill on Monday.

(Tillis)”The Senate version of the One Big Beautiful bill contains significant changes to Medicaid that would be devastating to North Carolina, and I cannot support it. The Senate should go back to the House’s commonsense approach to Medicaid reform to enact work requirements while protecting care for those who truly need it.”

(Trump)”Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump wrote Saturday night. “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.”