Senate reaction to the budget bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, with Vice President JD Vance breaking a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The bill next goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana warned off big revisions from his chamber’s version. But senators did make changes, particularly to Medicaid health care. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota worked through the night and into Tuesday to strike a last-minute agreement between Republicans worried the bill’s health care reductions will leave millions without care and his conservative flank seeking steeper cuts to hold down deficits. Rand Paul was among three Republicans opposing the bill.

Wisconsin Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson took opposite sides in the vote. Baldwin voted with her fellow Democratic Senators against it while Republican Ron Johnson sided with his party in favor of the measure.

Here is their reaction to the vote:

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

“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.”

Sen. Ron Johnson

“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.”