The Republican-controlled US Senate narrowly approved President Donald Trump's sweeping tax and spending cuts bill, during a marathon session marked by political drama, division and lengthy delays.
Lawmakers voted 51-49 to open debate on the 940-page mega-bill, with two of Trump's Republicans joining Democrats in opposing the legislation that would fund the president's top priorities on immigration, borders, tax cuts and the military. Trump took to social media to hail the "big win" for his "big, beautiful, brilliant bill."
After hours of delay, during which Republican leaders and Vice President JD Vance worked behind closed doors to persuade those who refused to support the measure, Democrats demanded that the mega-bill be first read aloud to the chamber - a task that could delay the start of debate until Sunday afternoon.
Democrats say the bill's tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of social programs for low-income Americans. "Senate Republicans are trying to pass a radical bill, released to the public in the middle of the night, praying that the American people don't understand what it contains," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor.
"Democrats will force this chamber to read it from beginning to end," he said, writes A2 CNN.
Once the bill is read, lawmakers will begin up to 20 hours of debate on the legislation. That will be followed by a marathon session of amendments before the Senate votes on approval. Lawmakers said they hoped to wrap up work on the bill by Monday. Republican senators Thom Tillis and Rand Paul voted against opening debate, a move that for a time appeared to be in danger of failing.
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