Differences between House and Senate versions of the bill had threatened to delay full implementation of Trump’s second-term agenda.
WASHINGTON—Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) released a revised version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on June 27 in hopes of gaining agreement on the legislation among Republicans in both the Senate and the House.
The revisions come after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that several provisions were ineligible for passage under the filibuster-proof reconciliation process. A previous draft had drawn criticism from some members in both chambers as Senate Republicans race to pass the 1,000-page budget reconciliation, seen as critical for implementing President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough’s rulings that key portions of the bill did not meet the criteria established by the Byrd Rule, all but required Republicans to cut or revise those sections. If left in place, those elements would require the bill to gain 60 votes to pass the Senate.
The latest version of the bill includes updates made by Senate committees to address her points, although it remains uncertain whether the bill will garner enough support to advance.
Leaders have been working toward a self-imposed July 4 deadline for presenting the bill to the president: Failure to do so would further delay implementation of Trump’s signature policy initiatives and risk a breach of the nation’s debt ceiling in August.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told Fox News on June 27 that he wanted Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote Saturday afternoon.
“If you’re unhappy with that, you’re welcome to fill out a hurt feelings report, and we will review it carefully later,” he told the news outlet. “But in the meantime, it’s time to start voting.”
Republicans must have near unanimity in both chambers to pass the bill, given their slim majorities in each. And with several controversial issues still outstanding, Republicans still appear far from the finish line.
Here’s how the bill seeks to unite the party to meet Trump’s Independence Day deadline.
By Lawrence Wilson, Nathan Worcester, Joseph Lord, Tom Ozimek
