June 29, 2025 Trump’s agenda bill news

Our live coverage has moved. Followed today’s live updates on Trump’s sweeping agenda and read through Sunday’s updates below.

The Senate’s marathon voting session — known as a “vote-a-rama” — that will take place before a final vote on President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda bill is now expected to begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, according to a notice sent out by Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso’s office.

During the marathon voting session, senators can offer as many amendments as they want to vote on before a final vote on the bill.

Senators were originally expected to begin the vote-a-rama overnight.

Senator Thom Tillis speaks to members of the media at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Saturday.

Sen. Thom Tillis told reporters at the Capitol on Sunday that he spoke with President Donald Trump on Saturday night and told him he wasn’t going to seek reelection after he voted against advancing the president’s sweeping domestic policy bill.

The North Carolina senator added: “I respect President Trump, I support the majority of his agenda, but I don’t bow to anybody when the people of North Carolina are at risk, and this bill puts them at risk.”

Asked whether there is a room to disagree with Trump in today’s Republican Party, he said, “If you have courage to.”

Asked whether he feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, Tillis quipped, “I never have a weight on my shoulders. I slept like a baby last night.”

Some context: Tillis announced Sunday afternoon that he would not seek reelection next year, saying that his decision was “not a hard choice” and expressing a desire to spend more time with his family.

Trump said on social media later Sunday that Tillis’ announcement was “Great News!” Trump threatened a day earlier to back a primary challenger to Tillis’ seat, saying he would meet with those looking to mount primary challenges against the North Carolina senator “over the coming weeks.”

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina addressed the Senate floor on Sunday, following his announcement earlier in the day that he would not run for reelction.

Tillis said the Trump administration’s sweeping agenda bill will hurt those who are eligible for Medicaid, the federal program that provides health insurance for low-income Americans.

Tillis added that he agrees with other reforms listed in the bill. But he hopes the Senate can take the time to fix the proposed effects on Medicaid before making a final decision.

“We owe it to the American people, and I owe it to the people of North Carolina, to withhold my affirmative vote until it’s demonstrated to me that we’ve done our homework,” Tillis said.

Some context: Trump has repeatedly vowed not to touch Medicaid, while GOP lawmakers insist their proposals would largely affect adults who could — and should, in their view — be employed. But the actual impact would likely hit a far broader range of Americans, including some of the most vulnerable people the GOP has promised repeatedly to protect, experts say. They include children, people with disabilities and senior citizens.

Sen. Thom Tillis is seen at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

A ferocious advertising campaign is underway with passage of President Donald Trump’s landmark policy bill hanging in the balance, as political groups and business interests spent at least $35 million just this month to try to sway key members of Congress and their constituents.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina was facing the pressure from both sides before he announced Sunday that he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026.

Americans for Prosperity, an arm of the conservative megadonor Charles Koch’s political network, spent nearly $2 million this month in key media markets such as Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. At the same time, the Democratic-aligned group Unrig Our Economy spent nearly $1 million hammering Tillis over Medicaid cuts in the bill.

Other Republicans in swing districts face the same dynamic heading into a midterm campaign in which they will need to reach at least some voters who don’t back Trump without angering the president or his core supporters.

Read more here.

Sen. Rand Paul departs a procedural vote on a budget reconciliation bill with President Trump's legislative agenda at the U.S. Capitol on Saturday.

Senators have been debating President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill for more than five hours and are likely to work into the night before they begin to vote.

Following the debate, senators will begin to vote on amendments, in a process known as a “vote-a-rama.” During the marathon voting session, senators can offer as many amendments as they want before a final vote on the bill.

Democrats have given speeches railing against the bill, and they are likely to use all of their 10 hours of allotted debate time.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul also spoke against the bill, which he said he intends to vote against because it will not lower the deficit.

Sen. Thom Tillis arrives for a Senate Judiciary Committee markup on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 5.

Sen. Thom Tillis seemed to warn Donald Trump about his potential replacement after the president said it was “great news” that the North Carolina Republican wasn’t running for reelection.

“Thanks for the retirement wishes, Mr. President, looking forward to working with you for a successful 2026. Word to the wise, let’s avoid minisoldr,” Tillis posted on X with a link to an article from 2024 in which Trump praised Mark Robinson, former GOP nominee for North Carolina governor.

“Minisoldr” was the screen name Robinson used on a porn forum where he made disturbing comments, including referring to himself as a “black nazi,” which CNN’s KFile uncovered last year. Robinson lost the gubernatorial election to Democrat Josh Stein.

Tillis announced Sunday he is not seeking reelection next year, a day after he was one of only two Republicans who voted against advancing Trump’s sweeping agenda bill. After Tillis’ vote, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis” and that he would “be meeting with them over the coming weeks.”

The Senate parliamentarian has ruled against two key carveouts on Medicaid spending, which were tailored specifically to Alaska and Hawaii, potentially making it more difficult for Republicans to secure their majority to pass President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill as they can afford to lose only three votes on the final passage of the bill.

GOP leaders had to work up until the very last minute to secure the vote of Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski on the floor last night and had included the carveouts for her state on Medicaid early Saturday morning.

CNN reported Saturday that GOP leaders had tried to win Murkowski over with a few provisions in the latest version of the bill. With two of these key provisions now being struck, it is unclear how Murkowski may vote on the final passage of the bill.

It is often difficult for carveouts in particular states to get through the process known as the Byrd bath, which advises whether policies included in a bill would be subject to 60 votes for passage, instead of a simple majority.

The Senate parliamentarian did, however, give Republican leaders some welcome news. The GOP leaders have been told they can use their tweaked language on the provider tax — taxes that states can impose to help pay for Medicaid coverage — after they delayed implementation of the new rule.

As Republicans race to pass President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” through Congress ahead of his July 4 deadline, people across the US have started weighing in on opinion polls about the sweeping legislation.

CNN’s Harry Enten takes a look at the numbers:

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Harry Enten breaks down how Americans feel about Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

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Harry Enten breaks down how Americans feel about Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

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President Donald Trump said today that GOP Sen. Thom Tillis’ decision to not seek reelection next year is, “Great News!”

The president’s reaction comes a day after the North Carolina senator was one of only two Republicans who voted against advancing the president’s sweeping agenda bill.

Tillis had expressed concern about the impact that cuts to Medicaid would have on his constituents, and Trump threatened yesterday to back a primary challenger to his seat.

Tillis, 64, said in his statement that his decision was “not a hard choice” and expressed a desire to spend more time with his family.

The Capitol dome is pictured Sunday in Washington, DC.

When Senate clerks finished their marathon reading of the sweeping domestic policy bill this afternoon, and the chamber was poised to begin formal debate on the legislation, Democrats held up the process with several parliamentary inquiries.

According to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s staff, Democrats are furious that Republicans are using the “current policy baseline” to count the cost of tax cuts in the bill, something they say hides their true costs.

Republicans argue that, under the alternative scoring method, they are not required to count the costs of extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts against the deficit because the cuts already are in effect.

Democrats, and many outside observers, disagree.

Democrats were also arguing that Republicans are using their power to skirt the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, who likely would agree with Democrats and block the current policy baseline if the question was put to her formally, according to a statement provided by Schumer’s press office.

Republicans counter that they believe the law says the Senate Budget Committee chairman, in this case Sen. Lindsey Graham, is the authority on this question — not the parliamentarian.

Key context: This focus on the Senate parliamentarian comes as Republicans try to shepherd their massive bill to passage using special budgetary rules that require a simple majority of 51 votes — shielding it from a Democratic filibuster.

The Senate has begun formal floor debate on President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill.

How we got here: After an hourslong push by Senate GOP leaders yesterday, the giant tax cuts and spending bill advanced from a key procedural vote in the upper chamber, 51-49.

Only two Republicans opposed advancing the bill: Sens. Thom Tillis and Rand Paul. Hours later, Tillis announced he won’t seek reelection next year.

While GOP leaders overcame the loss of two votes from the party last night, they are still working to firm up support from Republican holdouts who want to see changes to the bill before a final vote.

What happens next: Debate could last late into the night.

Democrats are expected to use all 10 hours they are allotted. Republicans may use only a small portion of their time for debate, but it’s unclear how much.

Then the Senate would begin its “vote-a-rama” — another lengthy process in which lawmakers will propose and vote on a series of amendments, giving Democrats an opportunity to put Republicans on the spot.

At least one GOP holdout, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, has signaled she will offer her own amendments to the legislation — an unusual move for a Republican bill.

What’s in the bill: The multitrillion-dollar package would lower federal taxes, boost military and border spending, and downsize benefit programs, including Medicaid. Democrats and some GOP holdouts are raising alarm about the bill’s changes to the health care program, which could leave 12 million more people uninsured, according to new CBO analysis.

Senate clerks have finished their marathon reading of the entire domestic policy package and lawmakers will soon begin formal floor debate on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

The Senate is now addressing procedural issues Democrats have raised with how the costs of the bill have been calculated.

Debate is expected to begin shortly. It could take up to 20 hours, though it is expected to take less. Each party has 10 hours of time they could use. We expect Democrats to use all their time and Republicans to use only a small portion of theirs, but it’s unclear how much.

Then the Senate would begin its “vote-a-rama” — another lengthy process in which lawmakers will propose and vote on a series of amendments. A long night is ahead on the Senate floor.

Correction: A previous version of the post misstated the process that is underway in the Senate. The chamber is addressing procedural issues before beginning formal floor debate.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill on Saturday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune briefly reacted to the news that Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection in 2026, calling the announcement “unfortunate” but saying he respects the decision.

The South Dakota Republican, who said he knew of Tillis’ decision before the senator announced it, added that “I will look forward to continuing to serve with him for the last couple years here and then winning his seat in the next election.”

A copy of President Donald Trump’s spending and tax bill is seen on a desk as clerks continue reading the bill aloud in in Washington, DC on Sunday.

The Senate version of President Donald Trump’s agenda package would cost far more than the House-approved bill, according to analysis released today by the Congressional Budget Office.

The Senate legislation would add nearly $3.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade, according to CBO’s traditional scoring method, using what’s known as the “current law baseline.” It assumes the expiring provisions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts will lapse as scheduled at the end of the year.

The House version of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit, according to the CBO.

The main reason the Senate version is costlier is because it contains bigger tax cuts while shrinking some of the spending cuts and revenue raisers, said Marc Goldwein, senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a watchdog group.

Trump and some GOP leaders, including Sen. Mike Crapo, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, have pushed to use an alternative scoring method, known as the “current policy baseline,” which seemingly greatly minimizes the deficit impact of the bill because it would not include the cost of extending the expiring 2017 tax provisions.

Critics of the method, however, say that it doesn’t change the fact that the package would increase the deficit. The tax provisions in the Senate bill would add nearly $4.5 trillion to the deficit over a decade, according to a Joint Committee on Taxation analysis released yesterday.

Using the current policy baseline, the Senate version would reduce the deficit by roughly $508 billion over the next decade, according to a separate CBO estimate released Saturday night.

Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect the Senate bill’s impact on the deficit using the current policy baseline. It would reduce the deficit by roughly $508 billion over a decade.

Sen. Thom Tillis attends a Senate hearing on Wednesday in Washington, DC.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina has announced that he is not seeking reelection next year.

The North Carolina senator’s announcement came a day after he was one of only two Republican holdouts who voted against advancing President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda bill. Tillis had expressed concern about the impact cuts to Medicaid would have on his constituents, and Trump threatened yesterday to back a primary challenger to his Senate seat.

Tillis said in his statement that his decision was “not a hard choice” and expressed a desire to be closer with his family.

“I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability,” he said.

Sen. Jim Banks arrives for a vote at the SU Capitol on Friday in Washington, DC.

Republican Sen. Jim Banks defended President Donald Trump’s tax cuts and spending package on “Fox News Sunday,” dismissing concerns about the bill’s changes to Medicaid.

The Indiana senator claimed the cuts would only impact undocumented immigrants and “people who can work but don’t work.” A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office analysis found that the Senate’s version of the bill could leave 12 million more people uninsured.

“The Medicaid reforms would affect able-bodied Americans,” Banks said. “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.”

Banks also called the Committee for Responsible Federal Budget’s criticism of the legislation “total hogwash.”

The independent, nonpartisan committee wrote in a report that the Senate’s version of the legislation would “violate the House reconciliation instructions” and increase the national debt by $4 trillion. Several GOP House members have already said they would not support the Senate’s modifications to the lower chamber’s bill.

Despite that opposition, and two Republican senators voting against advancing the bill in a key procedural vote last night, Banks expressed optimism that the legislation will receive the needed votes in both chambers by Trump’s July 4 deadline.

“Don’t bet against President Trump,” Banks said. “He’s going to get it done.”

President Donald Trump discussed his tariff policies and potential progress on a TikTok deal in a new interview with Fox News, which aired today as the scramble unfolds on Capitol Hill to pass his “big, beautiful bill.”

Here’s what the president said:

A view of the US Capitol building on Sunday.

The Senate version of President Donald Trump’s agenda bill would leave 11.8 million more people without health insurance in 2034, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released today.

That’s more than the 10.9 million more people projected to be left uninsured by the House-passed version of the bill.

Both chambers are calling for historic spending cuts to Medicaid, which provides coverage to more than 71 million low-income Americans, including children, senior citizens, people with disabilities and other adults. The package would also enact changes to the Affordable Care Act that are projected to reduce enrollment in the landmark health reform law that Trump and Republicans have long sought to dismantle.

But the Senate version calls for even deeper cuts to the Medicaid, leading to the larger estimate.

It would slash federal support for Medicaid by $930 billion over a decade, Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking member on Senate Finance Committee, said yesterday, citing a CBO estimate. The House version is projected to reduce federal spending on the program by about $800 billion, according to CBO.

Both chambers would require certain able-bodied adults ages 19-64 to work to maintain their Medicaid benefits for the first time in the program’s 60-year history. But the Senate version would impose the work requirement on parents of children ages 14 and older, while the House version would exempt parents of dependent children.

The Senate version would also lower the cap on the taxes that states levy on providers to help fund the program and increase reimbursement rates for providers. However, that provision would only apply to the 40 states and the District of Columbia that have expanded Medicaid to low-income adults. The House bill would put a moratorium on the states’ existing provider taxes.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner discussed President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” this morning on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

The Virginia lawmaker said the massive spending and tax cuts package would slash health care benefits and food aid, calling it a “political albatross” that harms millions to benefit the wealthy.

Watch a portion of the interview below:

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Sen. Warner believes Trump’s bill will be a ‘political albatross’

01:56 - Source: CNN

Sen. Warner believes Trump’s bill will be a ‘political albatross’

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