Administration Officials Rally Support as Senate Vote-a-Rama Continues
President Donald Trump and his key advisors have begun a major effort to get their important bill passed, as the Senate faces challenges in finalizing the legislation. This push kicked off about 12 hours into a long voting session in the Senate.
Follow the live coverage here – Senate takes up Trump’s big, beautiful bill
Key Administration Voices Defend Legislation
Miller Delivers Fierce Defense on Fox News
Stephen Miller, a key advisor to Trump, appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” on Monday night, just after the Senate began a long series of votes on a new bill. He passionately responded to criticisms of the bill and strongly defended what it included.
“I’m really frustrated with all the false claims about this bill being spread by those just trying to gain attention for themselves,” he said. “In my opinion, this is the most conservative bill I’ve seen in my entire life.”
Budget Director Addresses Deficit Concerns
During that period, Russ Vought, the White House budget director, posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) addressing concerns from some lawmakers about the rising expenses of a major Senate bill. He supported the Senate’s approach to budgeting, which focused on current policies and did not include the costs of continuing the tax cuts from 2017 that were implemented during the Trump administration.
“Keep in mind that when some people claim the Senate bill will lead to bigger deficits, they’re comparing it to a prediction that assumes government spending will go on forever while tax cuts will eventually disappear. This is a viewpoint based on a specific belief, and fortunately, the Senate decided not to evaluate the bill in that way.”
Vice President and President Weigh In
Vance Emphasizes Immigration Provisions
Just before midnight, Vice President JD Vance shared his thoughts on X, saying that the parts of the big bill that focus on border security and immigration are important enough to make the whole bill worthwhile.
“All the other details—like the CBO score, the right starting point for comparisons, and the fine points of Medicaid policy—are less important compared to the funding for immigration enforcement and the related policies,” he wrote.
Trump Issues Direct Appeal to Republicans
At just after midnight, Trump shared a message on Truth Social, saying: “Republicans, we have a fantastic bill that could be one of the most important ever! It includes huge tax cuts, improved border security, millions of new jobs, and more support for our military and veterans. If we don’t pass this bill, there could be a massive tax hike of 68%, which would be the biggest increase ever!”
Senate Action Continues
At the same time, the Senate continued to hold votes, but they still hadn’t reached a final agreement.
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