Senate pulls all-nighter as GOP leadership tries to wrangle enough votes to pass Trump's megabill

Senators spent all night and now into Tuesday morning trying to pass President Trump's mega tax-and-spending measure known as his "One Big Beautiful Bill," ahead of his July 4 deadline.

The leaders of the Republican-controlled chamber spent much of their time fending off proposed amendments, mostly from Democrats trying to defeat the package, and trying to wrangle enough votes to pass the measure through a process known as budget reconciliation, which requires only a simple, 51-vote majority for passage.

Republicans have a 54-36 majority over Democrats in the chamber and can afford only three no votes. The entire Democratic conference, which includes two independent senators, will vote against the measure.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, spent the night trying to reach last-minute deals between those in conference concerned about the bill’s reductions to Medicaid leaving millions of Americans without healthcare, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts, according to the Associated Press.

The GOP holdouts are Sens. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, who warns Americans will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who opposes raising the debt limit by $5 trillion.  

The other two are Sens. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, and Susan Collins, of Maine, who have also tried to stem the health care cuts. Thune and his leadership team reportedly focused overnight on trying to work a deal with Murkowski to change her vote.

Vice President JD Vance was on Capitol Hill last night to cast a tie-breaker vote, if needed.

If the measure passes, it will go back to the GOP-controlled House for its reconsideration and final round of voting.