US Senate Republicans narrowly pass Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill

Newshour

BBC

News, Daily News

4.4 • 984 Ratings

🗓️ 1 July 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

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Summary

The US Senate has narrowly approved President Trump's major tax and spending bill. The chamber was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, meaning the Vice President, JD Vance, cast the deciding vote. The legislation will now return to the House of Representatives.

Also, will the M23 militia "disarm and disengage" in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in line with the US brokered peace deal? We speak to Dr Massad Boulos, President Trump's Senior Advisor for Africa.

And the remarkable story of how a father and young daughter miraculously survived falling off a cruise ship.

(Photo: Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski supported the passage of the bill after intense negotiations. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to News Hour live from the BBC World Service in London. I'm Rebecca Kesbby.
0:09.2	And we begin today in Washington, D.C., where President Trump's so-called Big Beautiful Bill narrowly passed in the Senate.
0:17.1	After a marathon session lasting 26 hours and covering almost 1,000 pages of legislation,
0:24.2	it squeaked over the line, but only with the help of Vice President J.D. Vance and the power of
0:30.1	his casting vote. On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 50, the Senate being evenly divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative.
0:40.0	The bill as amended is passed. Well, the big beautiful bill is indeed enormous, covering
0:46.1	swathes of tax and spending policy affecting every American in the country. It's considered
0:51.8	a cornerstone to Mr. Trump's entire agenda for his second term.
0:56.5	Democrats are against it, arguing it will take benefits and protections from poorer people
1:01.2	to allow for tax cuts for the rich. But U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Toon of South Dakota
1:07.3	welcomed today's result. Since we took office in January, Republicans have been laser focused on achieving the bill
1:14.4	before us today. And now we're here passing legislation that will permanently extend
1:20.6	taxually for hardworking Americans. As President, that will spur economic growth and more jobs
1:27.4	and opportunities for American workers.
1:29.9	That will rebuild our military, secure our borders, unleash American energy, and cut waste, fraud and abuse and federal programs.
1:41.2	Well, Democrats had tried to hold up the vote, proposing amendments and requesting
1:46.5	the Senate clerks to read the entire thing out. But with the help of Mr. Vance's vote, they failed
1:52.2	to stop it passing. This is what U.S. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York had to say
1:57.6	about it. Today's vote will haunt our Republican colleagues for years to come.
2:02.8	As the American people see the damage that is done, as hospitals close, as people are laid off,
2:10.1	as costs go up, as the debt increases, they will see what our colleagues have done.
2:17.2	And they will remember it. And we Democrats done and they will remember it.
	...

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