The move could delay Senate Republicans’ push for vote-a-rama as the GOP braces for a tight 50–50 split on a procedural vote on the Trump-backed bill.
Senate Democrats are preparing to force the full reading of the nearly 1,000-page Republican tax and spending package on the Senate floor, a move that could delay consideration of the Trump-endorsed bill by at least half a day.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) confirmed to The Epoch Times on June 28 that Democrats intend to invoke their right to demand that clerks read aloud the entire legislative text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act if Republicans secure a vote to proceed to debate.
The procedural gambit threatens to temporarily slow Republican momentum, just as Senate GOP leaders were hoping to move swiftly into a marathon amendment session, known as a vote-a-rama, after a procedural vote clearing the way for floor debate.
The Democratic plan to force a reading of the bill came as Republicans were busy whipping up support for the legislation, bracing for what increasingly appeared likely to be a razor-thin 50–50 vote on the motion to proceed—one that would require Vice President JD Vance to break the tie.
GOP leaders spent Saturday working to secure backing from key holdouts, even as several senators made their positions clearer. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) each signaled they would support advancing the bill, citing last-minute changes unveiled Friday that addressed some of their earlier concerns.
Collins said she was prepared to vote to proceed out of deference to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) but emphasized she still has serious reservations and plans to offer amendments to reshape parts of the legislation.
Hawley, who had previously raised alarms about potential Medicaid cuts, said he would back both the procedural motion and the bill itself after securing a delay in changes to the federal cap on Medicaid provider taxes—a shift he said would mean higher federal Medicaid funding for Missouri in the coming years.
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) also announced Saturday that he would vote yes on the motion to proceed, after receiving assurances from Republican leaders that Section 50301—a provision calling for the sale of certain federal lands—would either be stripped out via floor amendment or removed by the Senate parliamentarian under the Byrd Rule if deemed out of order under reconciliation.
By Tom Ozimek
