Early Friday morning, Senate Republicans took a significant step forward in advancing President Donald Trump’s comprehensive agenda by voting to adopt a budget blueprint. This move sets the stage for a potential clash with House Republicans, who have proposed a competing plan.
The final vote was conducted after a rare overnight session in the Senate, which began Thursday evening and stretched into the early hours of Friday. The session concluded close to 5 am ET, lasting nearly ten hours. The final tally stood at 52 to 48, with GOP Sen. Rand Paul aligning with Democrats to oppose the resolution.
During the late-night session, known as a “vote-a-rama,” Democrats sought to force Republicans into difficult votes on several contentious issues. These included the war in Ukraine, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and efforts to protect Medicare and Medicaid from cuts, as Republicans aim to implement Trump’s legislative priorities.
The budget resolution, although non-binding and lacking legal force, serves as a necessary framework. It allows Senate Republicans to pass legislation on a party-line vote without Democratic support through a process called reconciliation. Republicans plan to use this mechanism to advance what they hope will be Trump’s signature legislative achievements.
Despite Trump endorsing the more expansive House Republican plan, Senate Republicans proceeded with their approach. This move underscores the challenges congressional Republicans face as they navigate narrow majorities and divergent strategies.
The House and Senate must reconcile their differing approaches to advance. Even if agreement is reached on the budget blueprint, drafting the actual legislation is likely to be contentious, involving lengthy negotiations potentially stretching over months. This process may open up divides within the GOP.
Senate Republicans have proposed a budget resolution that prioritizes bolstering funding for immigration enforcement, national security, and energy production. In contrast, House Republicans have a more comprehensive plan that addresses tax policy, a crucial issue Senate Republicans aim to tackle in a subsequent legislative package.
House Republicans, with a razor-thin majority, wish to address all major party priorities in a single bill. In contrast, Senate Republicans aim for an early win on voter-important issues like border security before moving onto tax policy, a complex issue expected to be more challenging to resolve.
Trump urged both chambers to pass the House plan, stating on Truth Social that it implements “my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it!” He also praised Senate Republicans as the marathon vote session commenced, expressing gratitude to Majority Leader John Thune and the Republican Senate for their hard work on funding the Trump Border Agenda.
Locked out of power in Washington, Senate Democrats used the “vote-a-rama” to force difficult votes in an attempt to hold Republicans accountable for contentious issues. Democrats sought to portray Republicans as the party of the wealthy during the lengthy vote session, at times managing to attract some GOP votes.
GOP Sen. Susan Collins supported an amendment blocking tax cuts for billionaires while food prices remain high, and GOP Sen. Josh Hawley voted with Democrats for a measure intended to lower housing costs by reducing hedge fund purchases of single-family homes. However, neither amendment received enough support to be adopted.
Senate Democrats also proposed an amendment supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, which failed due to lack of GOP support. Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker argued the budget resolution was “not the right fit” for the issue.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons introduced an amendment aimed at preventing DOGE from accessing or misusing private data, which was rejected by voice vote.
The first Republican-offered amendment during the marathon session came from GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, seeking to demonstrate party support for Medicare and Medicaid. It was adopted 51-49, with most GOP senators voting in favor, except for Sens. John Curtis and Mike Lee, who sided with Democrats against it. Democrats argued the amendment would not effectively protect people on Medicare and Medicaid.
Support for Medicare and Medicaid in the Senate is notable, as some House Republicans have expressed concerns about Medicaid’s future, especially as the House moves forward with its separate budget blueprint.
During the overnight session, senators found various ways to stay occupied. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis was seen with a large bowl of popcorn, while Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin provided a virtual tour of the Capitol to his followers on X, posting updates from the rotunda and crypt.
Mullin, the current occupant of the Senate candy desk, shared that he’s received some “blowback” for the green, St. Patrick’s Day-themed candy he provided, joking about switching to Easter-themed treats.
Other senators spent time conversing with colleagues, sitting at their desks on the floor, swiping through their phones, reviewing amendments, and reading. CNN journalists Manu Raju, Sarah Ferris, and Lauren Fox contributed to this report.
