Senate Advances Trump's Massive Tax Bill After Key Holdouts Flip To 'Yes'

Republicans took a big step toward passing President Donald Trump's sweeping legislative agenda after a day of high drama in the Senate.

WASHINGTON ― The Senate took a big step toward passage of President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative agenda on Saturday after several key Republican holdouts voted to advance the $4 trillion package that includes tax cuts for the mostly wealthy as well as major cuts to safety net programs.

The vote on the motion to proceed squeaked by in a 51-49 vote, with Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joining all Democrats against the measure.

Republicans are moving the bill under a special, fast-track process known as budget reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes instead of the usual 60. Trump has said he wants the bill on his desk by the July 4 holiday, and GOP lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are racing to meet his deadline.

After some uncertainty about whether GOP leaders would indeed have the votes to proceed on Saturday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), two holdouts on provisions in the legislation cutting Medicaid, announced they were ready to move forward.

Hawley, who repeatedly argued against cutting Medicaid, cited a $25 billion fund in the bill that will benefit rural hospitals in his state and a one-year delay in imposing some cuts to Medicaid as reasons why he ultimately came around to supporting it.