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Category Archives: World/National

Senate passes Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

Senate passes Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of votes, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session.

Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The three Republicans opposing the bill were Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president’s signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval, or collapse.

Senators are considering proposed amendments to President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, hunkering down for a series of votes on Monday. (AP Video)

The difficulty it took for Republicans, who have the majority hold in Congress, to wrestle the bill to this point is not expected to let up. The package now goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump’s Fourth of July deadline.

The outcome is a pivotal moment for president and his party, which have been consumed by the 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” as it’s formally titled, and invested their political capital in delivering on the GOP’s sweep of power in Washington.

Trump acknowledged it’s “very complicated stuff,” as he departed the White House for Florida.

“I don’t want to go too crazy with cuts,” he said. “I don’t like cuts.”

What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting, in a process called vote-a-rama, spiraled into a round-the-clock slog as Republican leaders were buying time to shore up support.

The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, amid exhaustion.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was desperately reaching for last-minute agreements between those in his party worried the bill’s reductions to Medicaid will leave millions without care, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts.

The GOP leaders have no room to spare, with narrow majorities. Thune can lose no more than three Republican senators, and already two — Tillis, who warned that millions of people will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Paul, who opposes raising the debt limit by $5 trillion — had indicated opposition.

Attention quickly turned to two key senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins, who also raised concerns about health care cuts, as well as a loose coalition of four conservative GOP senators pushing for even steeper reductions.

Murkowski in particular became the subject of the GOP leadership’s attention, as they sat beside her for talks. She was huddled intensely for more than an hour in the back of the chamber with others, scribbling notes on papers.

Then all eyes were on Paul after he returned from a visit to Thune’s office with a stunning offer that could win his vote. He had suggested substantially lowering the bill’s increase in the debt ceiling, according to two people familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said “Republicans are in shambles because they know the bill is so unpopular.”

An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.

And on social media, billionaire Elon Musk was again lashing out at Republicans as “the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” for including the $5 trillion debt ceiling in the package, which is needed to allow continued borrowing to pay the bills.Senators insist on changes

Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerges, in either the House or Senate.

Collins had proposed bolstering the $25 billion proposed rural hospital fund to $50 billion, offset with a higher tax rate on those earning more than $25 million a year, but her amendment failed.

And Murkowski was trying to secure provisions to spare people in her state from some food stamp cuts, which appeared to be accepted, while she was also working to beef up federal reimbursements to hospitals in Alaska and others states, that did not comply with parliamentary rules.

“Radio silence,” Murkowski said when asked how she would vote.

The conservative senators demanding a vote on their steeper health care cuts, including Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, filed into Thune’s office near-midnight.What’s in the big bill

All told, the Senate bill includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis, making permanent Trump’s 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips.

The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide. It would impose $1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states.

Additionally, the bill would provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants.Democrats fighting all day and night

Unable to stop the march toward passage, the Democrats tried to drag out the process, including with a weekend reading of the full bill.

A few of the Democratic amendments won support from a few Republicans, though almost none were passing. More were considered in one of the longer such sessions in modern times.

One amendment overwhelmingly approved stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence if they receive certain federal funding.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump’s first term are now “current policy” and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits.

She said that kind of “magic math” won’t fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books.

___

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Darelene Superville and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says

Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A sheriff says a man shot firefighters battling a blaze in northern Idaho after they asked him to move his vehicle, killing two of them and wounding a third. Authorities say the man had set a fire and the firefighters who rushed to put out the blaze instead found themselves under fire. They took cover behind fire trucks, but two died and a third was wounded during a barrage of gunfire over several hours, authorities said. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said it appears the man later killed himself.… Continue Reading

US stocks add a bit more to their all-time high

US stocks add a bit more to their all-time high

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market added to its record as Wall Street closed out a second straight winning month. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% Monday in its first trading after completing a stunning rebound from its springtime sell-off of roughly 20%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.5%. Oracle helped lead the way after saying it’s off to a strong start in its fiscal year. Banks were also solid in their first trading after the Federal Reserve said they’re financially strong enough to survive a downturn in the economy. Treasury yields eased in the bond market.… Continue Reading

States brace for impact as Trump’s big bill nears completion in Congress

States brace for impact as Trump’s big bill nears completion in Congress

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s tax cut bill could have large implications for states. The legislation nearing completion in Congress could reduce federal funding to states for Medicaid and food assistance programs. But in many states, it’s too late to do much about it this year. Tuesday marks the start of a new budget year in 46 states. Though a few are still working, many state legislatures already have adjourned and had to craft a budget without knowing whether their federal funding would be cut. Some states have set aside money as a precaution. Others are tentatively planning to return in special sessions.… Continue Reading

Chief Justice Roberts warns against heated political words about judges

Chief Justice Roberts warns against heated political words about judges

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts is warning that elected officials’ heated words about judges can lead to threats or acts of violence by others. Roberts’ comments Saturday at a judicial conference come at a time when threats against judges are on the rise. Roberts didn’t identify anyone by name. But he was clearly referring to Republican President Donald Trump and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer when he said he’s felt compelled to issue public rebukes of figures in both parties in recent years. Roberts said the danger is that people might pick up on such criticism. He cited “serious threats of violence and murder of judges just simply for doing their work.”… Continue Reading

Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions, but fate of Trump birthright citizenship order unclear

Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions, but fate of Trump birthright citizenship order unclear

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court has ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, but the decision leaves unclear the fate of President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship. The outcome Friday was a victory for Trump, who has complained about individual judges throwing up obstacles to his agenda. But a conservative majority left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship changes could remain blocked nationwide. The Republican president’s order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally. Trump says the court’s decision is “amazing” and a “monumental victory for the Constitution,” the separation of powers and the rule of law.… Continue Reading

These Canadian rocks may be the oldest on Earth

These Canadian rocks may be the oldest on Earth

NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have identified what could be the oldest rocks on Earth from a rock formation in Canada. The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in Quebec has long been known for its ancient rocks, but researchers disagree on exactly how old they are. Samples from a new site place the rocks at approximately 4.16 billion years old, in the earliest period of Earth’s history. Ancient rocks are hard to find, but they give scientists a rare window into how early Earth may have looked and even how life got started. The new research was published Thursday in the journal Science.… Continue Reading

US stocks climb to the brink of a record

US stocks climb to the brink of a record

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are climbing toward the brink of another record. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% Thursday and is just 0.3% below its all-time high, which was set in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 264 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.5%. McCormick helped lead the market after the seller of cooking spices delivered a better-than-expected profit report. Treasury yields eased a bit in the bond market following a couple of better-than-expected reports on the U.S. economy, including on jobless claims and orders for long-lasting manufactured goods. Stock indexes were mixed across much of Europe and Asia.… Continue Reading

College graduates face toughest job market in more than a decade as hiring slows

College graduates face toughest job market in more than a decade as hiring slows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Young people graduating from college this spring and summer are facing one of the toughest job markets in more than a decade. The unemployment rate for degree holders ages 22 to 27 has reached its highest level in a dozen years, excluding the coronavirus pandemic. Joblessness among that group is higher than the overall unemployment rate, and the gap is larger than it’s been in more than three decades. That worries many economists as well as officials at the Federal Reserve because it could be an early sign of trouble for the economy. It suggests businesses are holding off on hiring new workers because of rampant uncertainty stemming from the Trump administration’s tariff increases… Continue Reading

US stocks hang near their record as Wall Street takes a breath following two big days

US stocks hang near their record as Wall Street takes a breath following two big days

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks hung near their all-time high as financial markets caught a breath following two big days bolstered by hopes that the Israel-Iran war will not disrupt the global flow of crude oil. The S&P 500 barely budged on Wednesday and is sitting just 0.8% below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Oil prices stabilized after plunging by roughly $10 per barrel in the prior two days. Stock indexes fell modestly in Europe after rising in Asia, and Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market.… Continue Reading

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