The Senate has kicked off a marathon of amendment votes known as ‘vote-a-rama,’ focusing on the Republicans’ domestic policy megabill. The first vote was not on a specific amendment but on whether Republicans could use a controversial accounting tactic to zero out the $3.8 trillion cost of extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts in their massive domestic policy bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer moved to force a simple-majority vote to undo the change, but it’s expected to fail along party lines. ‘Every senator will soon have an opportunity to reject this nonsense and vote for common-sense budgeting,’ Schumer stated, noting that Americans will be watching the proceedings. The vote has high stakes for Republicans, as without the accounting change, the Finance Committee provisions would significantly increase the deficit beyond the $1.5 trillion cap outlined in the budget blueprint adopted earlier this year.
Ahead of the voting, Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized the importance of addressing the expiring tax cuts, arguing that the bill is about extending tax relief so that the same individuals who benefited from the cuts in 2017 and the past eight years do not face a significant tax increase in January. The Senate will then proceed to rapid-fire amendment votes on various provisions, including curbing Medicaid funding mechanisms, doubling the stabilization fund for rural hospitals to $50 billion, revising artificial intelligence provisions, and softening deep cuts to wind and solar energy.
While the votes are expected to continue throughout Monday and potentially into Tuesday, Senate GOP leaders have opted for a break after multiple late-night sessions, a decision that contrasts with the typical practice of ending vote-a-ramas during daylight hours to exploit fatigue. Schumer has vowed to expose whether Republicans truly intend to strengthen Medicare, protect middle-class families, or if their promises were merely rhetoric. This pivotal moment in legislation highlights the partisan divide and the financial implications of the proposed changes.