US Senate narrowly passes Trump’s sweeping bill; state senators react

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – In a slim 51-50 vote, the U.S. Senate has passed President Trump’s controversial “Big Beautiful Bill”; Wisconsin Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson gave their remarks on the bill’s passage.

The package will significantly impact social services, such as SNAP benefits and Social Security, while promising tax cuts and strengthened immigration enforcement. Wisconsin’s House delegation was previously split in their vote for Pres. Trump’s proposal in late May.

Democratic Senator Baldwin emphatically denounced the Senate’s approval of the package in a statement, claiming it does “not solve the problems that Wisconsin families are facing.”

Today, I voted against rigging our tax code in favor of the biggest corporations and ultra-wealthy – all on the backs of working families who are just trying to get by and want a fair shot at success. As I travel across Wisconsin, I hear from families who are worried about paying for groceries, covering the cost of their medications, and keeping the lights on. Instead of standing up for these working families, my Republican colleagues jammed through a bill that guts Medicaid, kicks 17 million Americans off their health insurance, shutters rural hospitals, and takes food from families in need. And why? All to rig our already unfair tax code even more to help the rich get richer. This bill does not solve the problems that Wisconsin families are facing – in fact, it makes them worse.

I am disappointed. I am disgusted. But, I am also fired up and ready. Ready to keep fighting alongside every Wisconsinite who believes we can do better to give hard-working families a fair shot and stop tilting the scales for the wealthy and well-connected. It’s not the people in Washington with power; it’s the people across this country. The people who keep speaking up and speaking out, who are emailing and calling, who are marching in the streets, and who are telling their stories. This fight isn’t over, and together, we can still beat this thing.

Republican Senator Ron Johnson voted in favor of the bill despite previously being openly critical of the proposal, claiming it would put the country in trillions of dollars of debt.

Senator Johnson did not comment on his previous stance following the bill’s approval, instead claiming that the package will avoid a $4 trillion tax increase and a default of the national debt.

With President Biden in the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democrats had every opportunity to repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and increase taxes on “the rich.” They did not do so. Instead of returning to a reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending and deficits, once the economy recovered, they incurred deficits averaging $1.9 trillion over four years. If that wasn’t bad enough, President Biden also left office with open borders and raging wars.    

By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we have avoided a $4 trillion automatic tax increase and a default on our debt. Due to the enormous messes Biden and congressional Democrats left us, we are also providing additional funding for border security and defense.

While the bill is a step forward, we have only just begun the difficult task of reducing spending, and there is still a long way to go. A rigorous effort will soon be announced to review every program and every line of the federal budget, looking for ways to reduce spending to a reasonable pre-pandemic level. I look forward to being fully involved in that effort to put America on a path to fiscal sustainability.

Pres. Trump’s bill will go back to the house for a final approval before it heads to the President’s desk. Pres. Trump maintains the self-imposed July 4 deadline.