Trump Megabill Vote: Live Updates

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Trump’s Megabill stalls: senate Republicans Scramble for Votes Amid Key Holdouts

Washington D.C.- As The Senate continues its marathon vote-a-rama, Republicans are working behind the scenes to secure the passage of President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated megabill. However, deep divisions within the party threaten to derail the legislative effort.

With Republicans able to afford losing only three votes,concerns are mounting among Senate GOP leadership that they lack the necessary support to pass the *megabill*. Senator Lisa Murkowski remains a key holdout,expressing reservations about the bill’s Medicaid and SNAP provisions.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Lisa Murkowski confer on Capitol Hill regarding the *megabill* on July 1, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)

Murkowski’s Concerns and Leadership Efforts

Senate Republican leadership is making an intensive effort to address Senator Murkowski’s concerns. She was observed in deep discussions with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican Whip John Barrasso, Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, and Senator Dan sullivan.

Senator Thune downplayed the conversations,stating they were “just chatting,” but the path forward remains unclear. Thune acknowledged the difficult situation, stating he doesn’t want to consider the options of pulling the bill or holding a final vote that is destined to fail.

Whip Count Challenges

The current whip count presents a meaningful hurdle. Senators Thom Tillis and Rand Paul are expected to vote against the bill, and losing either Murkowski or Senator Susan Collins could spell disaster for its passage.

The fate of an amendment aimed at further reducing Medicaid spending also remains uncertain, with Senators Mike Lee and Rick Scott perhaps swayed by its outcome.

Artificial Intelligence and Unemployment Provisions

Senators overwhelmingly voted to remove provisions limiting states’ ability to regulate Artificial Intelligence. This decision followed Senator Marsha Blackburn reneging on an agreement with Senator Ted Cruz regarding a moratorium on AI regulations.

Prior to these votes, Senator Joni Ernst’s amendment, preventing millionaires from collecting unemployment benefits, passed by voice vote.

Potential Impact of the Megabill

The Passage Of The *Megabill* could have sweeping effects. In December 2024, The Congressional Budget Office released a report estimating such legislation could impact everything from healthcare access to economic growth, depending on final provisions.

What specific aspects of the *megabill* are most concerning to you, and how do you think they will affect your community?

Key Players and Their Positions

senator	Position	Key Concerns
John Thune	Majority Leader	Securing enough votes for passage.
Lisa Murkowski	Holdout	Medicaid and SNAP provisions.
Thom Tillis	opposed	TBD
Rand Paul	Opposed	TBD
Susan Collins	Potential Holdout	TBD

The Amendment Process

The Senate’s amendment process allows individual senators to propose changes to pending legislation. These amendments can range from minor tweaks to significant overhauls, and each one must be voted on by the full Senate.

This process,while designed to ensure thorough debate,can also be used to delay or obstruct the passage of a bill,as seen in the current vote-a-rama.

Understanding Senate Procedures

The Senate operates under a unique set of rules and traditions that often differ considerably from those of the House of Representatives. one key difference is the ability of individual senators to filibuster,or delay a vote on a bill indefinitely,unless 60 senators vote to end the filibuster.

Another vital aspect of Senate procedure is the use of unanimous consent agreements,which allow the Senate to expedite the consideration of a bill or amendment. However, any single senator can object to a unanimous consent request, effectively blocking the agreement.