{"id":2635821,"date":"2026-07-27T06:16:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-big-beautiful-bill-became-law-late-night-drama-in-the-senate\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T06:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:19:49","slug":"how-the-big-beautiful-bill-became-law-late-night-drama-in-the-senate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-big-beautiful-bill-became-law-late-night-drama-in-the-senate\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Big Beautiful Bill became law: Late-night drama in the Senate"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-the-big-beautiful-bill-became-law-late-night-drama-in-the-senate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2635821&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune managed a critical legislative effort amid significant political challenges. As the clock approached the July 4 deadline, Thune and his colleagues in the Senate faced a tough vote on the \u201cOne Big Lovely Bill,\u201d a comprehensive legislation encompassing tax cuts, healthcare, defense, energy, and more. With all Democrats opposed and onyl a few Republicans leaning against, Thune anticipated losing up to three GOP votes but worked tirelessly to secure enough support, notably persuading Senator Lisa Murkowski through concessions tailored to her Alaska priorities.<\/p>\n<p>The process was fraught with late-night negotiations, amendments, and strategic compromises, ultimately culminating in the legislation passing the Senate after over 24 hours of voting, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote.The law was signed by President Trump on July 4, marking a significant legislative victory. Thune, who has navigated a sometimes tense relationship with Trump and has risen in Senate leadership, emphasized the importance of unity and careful negotiation to overcome procedural hurdles and diverse stakeholder interests.<\/p>\n<p>This legislation represents a major achievement for Republicans, who aimed to extend tax cuts and implement broad policy changes before upcoming elections. The process highlighted the intricate balancing act required in Congress, the importance of key swing votes like Murkowski\u2019s, and the strategic planning undertaken by GOP leaders to avoid past mistakes and ensure legislative success.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"178\">John Thune<\/a> was on the clock.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was in the middle of the night, less than 72 hours before President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> July 4 deadline to sign the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/one-big-beautiful-bill\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"23132\">One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/a>. And Thune didn\u2019t have the votes.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4658594\/john-thune-big-beautiful-bill-late-night-drama-senate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How the Big Beautiful Bill became law: Late-night drama in the Senate<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4663796\/jeffries-trump-gop-noncitizens-new-jersey-voter-rolls\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jeffries pivots to Trump and GOP when asked about noncitizens on New Jersey voter rolls<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4662135\/generations-after-holocaust-congress-seeking-answers-nazi-ties\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Generations after the Holocaust, Congress still seeking answers on bank\u2019s ties to Nazi crimes<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tall, lean Republican from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-dakota\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"772\">South Dakota<\/a> had been majority leader for less than five months, and this was his first big test.\u00a0In an expansive interview recalling how the\u00a0legislation cleared Congress, Thune admitted there were times he wasn\u2019t sure he could get it to Trump\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With all Democrats firmly against the massive bill, Thune could only lose three votes. As June 30 slipped into July 1, the GOP defections were fluid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three Republicans \u2014 Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1302\">Susan Collins<\/a> (ME), <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/rand-paul\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"230\">Rand Paul <\/a>(KY), and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thom-tillis\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"973\">Thom Tillis<\/a> (NC) \u2014 were no or leaning no. They would all end up rejecting it. Collins and Tillis opposed the bill\u2019s Medicaid reductions, while Paul objected to the provision lifting the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. The final hours were intently focused on winning over the decisive vote of Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lisa-murkowski\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2303\">Lisa Murkowski<\/a> (R-AK).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt 2:30 [a.m], I thought we were there,\u201d Thune told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cAt 5:30 [a.m.], we weren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/big-beautiful-bill\/\"><strong>HOW THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL BECAME LAW: READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER\u2019S 10-PART SERIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thune anticipated losing three Republicans, though at various times \u201cthought we would lose more\u2026.We had a window of getting 50 [votes], but it wasn\u2019t a long window.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now 65, Thune, who had moved up the Senate leadership ladder since narrowly defeating Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (SD) in 2004, has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Trump. After Thune voted\u00a0to certify Joe Biden\u2019s election victory in 2020, Trump publicly suggested that then-South Dakota Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kristi-noem\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3710\">Kristi Noem<\/a> should challenge the senator in the 2022 GOP primary.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After wrestling with whether to seek reelection back then, Thune announced he would run again for a fourth term in January 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, he said, \u201cI\u2019ve always promised I would do the work, even when it was hard, uncomfortable or unpopular.\u201d Thune has certainly encountered all that while working with Trump, who finally got his wish when <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"436\">Mitch McConnell<\/a> (KY) bowed out as the Senate\u2019s top Republican, opening the door for Thune\u2019s ascension.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the Senate\u2019s arcane budget reconciliation rules, the majority party doesn\u2019t need 60 votes to break a filibuster. Both parties have used this partisan process to pass sweeping legislation, including Obamacare in 2009 and Trump\u2019s first tax cuts in 2017. No Republican voted for Obamacare, and not one Democrat backed Trump\u2019s tax cuts. Much of the Trump tax law was set to expire at the end of 2025, and Republicans campaigned in 2024 to extend it in order to prevent a $4.5 trillion tax increase.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, they needed the trifecta: control of the House, Senate, and the White House. Democrats, who had the White House and Senate in 2024, had their own reconciliation plans if they were able to take back the House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"522\">2024 election<\/a> was a complete disaster for Democratic presidential nominee <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"748\">Kamala Harris<\/a> and the Democratic Party. Trump won all seven battleground states and was the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years. Republicans captured the Senate by picking up four seats, while the House, contrary to pundit predictions, remained in the GOP\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-learning-from-2017-mistakes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learning from 2017 mistakes<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike 2017, Trump hit the ground running in 2025. Trump\u2019s first-term transition plan was rudderless, as many on his team assumed Hillary Clinton would win. Trumpworld simply wasn\u2019t ready for its initial 100 days in office, and it showed.\u00a0Trump\u00a0wasted crucial political capital out of the gate when the GOP\u2019s 2017 effort to repeal and replace Obamacare was blown up on the Senate floor in spectacular fashion by Arizona Sen. John McCain\u2019s thumbs-down vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/steve-scalise\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1757\">Steve Scalise<\/a> (R-LA) noted that \u201cTrump was the new guy in 2017\u201d \u2014 he had a rocky relationship with McConnell and a not-so-great rapport with then-Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/paul-ryan\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"94\">Paul Ryan<\/a> (R-WI). Both McConnell and Ryan had urged Trump to tackle healthcare first back then, and the president has long regretted listening to their advice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So this time around, Scalise and other top Republicans were committed not to \u201cstumble again.\u201d Six months before the 2024 election, Scalise met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort and told him his committee chairmen would be ready to move on his agenda in January. Scalise told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, \u201cWe did not want to be the dog who caught the car.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, Thune said he talked to Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and the chamber\u2019s top GOP tax writer, \u201cmonths\u201d before Trump won his second term.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news for Republicans was that they had a mandate from the 2024 election as Democrats retreated to the political wilderness to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4577884\/ken-martin-releases-dnc-2024-autopsy-pressure-democratic-party\/\">assess what went wrong<\/a>. The bad news for Republicans was that their margins in both chambers were razor-thin, so unity was key. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No Senate Republican rejected the 2017 tax measure \u2014 McCain missed the vote for health reasons \u2014 but a dozen Republican lawmakers rejected it in the lower chamber. House Republican leaders in 2025 could afford just a few GOP no votes.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-persuading-lisa-murkowski\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Persuading Lisa Murkowski<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lacking numbers, Democrats had little to no power to thwart what they call the \u201cOne Big Ugly Bill.\u201d However, under Senate rules, they could offer amendments on the floor to change it. Democrats pursued <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3457901\/big-beautiful-vote-a-rama-amendments-proposed-pass-fail\/\">dozens of such measures<\/a> during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3323999\/what-is-vote-a-rama-washington-marathon-loathed-senators\/\">\u201cvote-a-rama\u201d<\/a> process, though\u00a0the vast majority of them failed. Their real intent, however, was to put GOP senators in tough reelection races on record, setting them up for campaign ads in the fall of 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the voting marathon continued through the early morning of July 1, Senate GOP leaders focused on Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lisa-murkowski\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2303\">Lisa Murkowski<\/a> (R-AK), an independent-minded Republican who doesn\u2019t shy away from bucking Trump. She had voted in 2017 against the Obamacare rollback, declined to back Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, and deemed Trump \u201cguilty\u201d on his second impeachment trial.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\">Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a key swing vote on the budget reconciliation bill, leaves the chamber as Republicans plan to begin a final push to advance President Donald Trump\u2019s big tax breaks and spending cuts legislation.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-image-caption=&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a key swing vote on the budget reconciliation bill, leaves the chamber as Republicans plan to begin a final push to advance President Donald Trump\u2019s big tax breaks and spending cuts legislation. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lisa-Murkowski-June-2025-scaled-e1780364948411.webp?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a key swing vote on the budget reconciliation bill, leaves the chamber as Republicans plan to begin a final push to advance President Donald Trump\u2019s big tax breaks and spending cuts legislation. (J. Scott Applewhite\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Less than two weeks before the final Senate vote, Murkowski outlined her concerns about the bill\u2019s Medicaid on a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/senator-lisa-murkowski-trump-big-beautiful-bill\/\">Sunday morning show:<\/a> \u201cSo I\u2019ve been pretty clear that when it comes to Medicaid, those cuts that would harm Alaskan beneficiaries, that\u2019s not something that I can take home, right? We have some of the highest healthcare costs in the country. We have 40% of Alaska\u2019s kids that are on Medicaid.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting Murkowski to yes wouldn\u2019t be easy. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Majority Whip <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-barrasso\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2416\">John Barrasso<\/a> (R-WY), whose primary job is to get the votes necessary to move the party\u2019s agenda, didn\u2019t leave Murkowski\u2019s side for hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrasso, an orthopedic surgeon and Trump ally, noted it was \u201call hands on deck.\u201d He credited Thune as well as Republican Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dan-sullivan\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4861\">Dan Sullivan<\/a> (R-AK), Murkowski\u2019s Alaska colleague who served on the whip team, in persuading her to approve the massive bill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrasso told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, \u201cIt seemed I was the best member of the whip team to be working with her,\u201d adding they both come from rural, energy-rich states with large Native American populations. Many others, including the late Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lindsey-graham\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"737\">Lindsey Graham<\/a> (R-SC), were in Murkowski\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Murkowski had defied history by winning the general election as a write-in candidate after losing her Republican primary in 2010. Twelve years later, Trump put his stellar record in Republican primaries on the line and endorsed a Murkowski opponent. The senator won again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout the bill\u2019s deliberations, Murkowski took issue with its immense scope and its Medicaid and food stamp provisions. Yet she was open to exchanging her \u201cyes\u201d vote for a deal that\u00a0would help her state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any agreement would have to pass muster with the non-partisan Senate parliamentarian, who had already ejected a number of Republican priorities from the legislation because they didn\u2019t comply with the Byrd rule, an incredibly complicated reconciliation budgetary guardrail.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe did some creative and inventive things in the middle of the night,\u201d Thune said, describing the situation as \u201cincredibly fraught\u201d and \u201cincredibly hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The son of a decorated World War II pilot, Thune said, \u201cFailure was not an option.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The obstacles to passage were ever-present.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually, Congress works to pass legislation with one focus, such as transportation or technology. The reconciliation measure was basically 100 bills in one, headlined with tax cuts but also encompassing school choice, securing the border, relief for farmers, easing regulations, defense funding, combating crime, energy, healthcare, and infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-transform:uppercase\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3462467\/winners-losers-big-beautiful-bill\/\">The winners and losers of the \u2018big, beautiful bill\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That meant almost every lobbying group was engaged. Business\u00a0interests were on board, but other powerful stakeholder\u00a0groups were hammering on-the-fence Republicans. All the while, Thune\u00a0had to win over his colleagues and deal with a president not known for his patience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou have to be a good listener\u201d and sometimes a \u201ctherapist,\u201d the level-headed Thune said, while suggesting he lost his cool at times during the rollercoaster\u00a0ride of emotions. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After hours of negotiations, as some senators and their aides caught cat naps and others loaded up on caffeine, GOP leaders and Murkowski struck a deal. It included clean energy tax credits, concessions on Medicaid and food stamps, and other priorities for the Last Frontier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Critics pounced, comparing Murkowski\u2019s enticements to the \u201cCornhusker kickback,\u201d a carve-out deal that secured then-Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) to get him to back Obamacare in 2009.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though she secured significant concessions, Murkowski was not a slam-dunk yes. Far from it. One GOP aide told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that she went back and forth on the final legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere were plenty of times I thought she was going to vote no,\u201d the aide said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Murkowski declined requests to be interviewed for this series. It\u2019s clear to see why she wouldn\u2019t want to relive the experience, which she called \u201cagonizing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked by NBC for comment on Paul\u2019s remark that Murkowski voted yes on the bill because it was a \u201cbailout for Alaska at the expense of the rest of the country,\u201d the Alaska senator silently stared at a reporter for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/video\/shorts\/murkowski-on-gop-policy-bill-do-i-like-this-bill-no-242540613709\">more than 10 seconds <\/a>before saying she \u201ctried to take care of Alaska\u2019s interests.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-hitting-the-july-4-deadline\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hitting the July 4 deadline<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many times after a tough \u201cyes\u201d vote, lawmakers will say the bill wasn\u2019t perfect. Murkowski didn\u2019t do that. She openly said she didn\u2019t like the Senate-passed bill, adding she wanted the House to change it and send it back to the Senate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy sincere hope is that this is not the final product,\u201d Murkowski said at the time, adding the bill needed \u201cmore work\u201d and it \u201cwas not good enough\u201d for the American public and \u201cnot ready for the president\u2019s desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thune told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he was aware that getting the votes one more time was probably not going to happen. A Senate Republican, whom Thune did not name, told him, \u201cYou better make sure the House passes it because if it comes back over here, we can\u2019t pass it again.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\">Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the Capitol on Monday, June 30, 2025 as the Senate debates President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cone, big beautiful\u201d bill. (Graeme Jennings\/Washington Examiner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/063025_THUNE-15-scaled.webp?w=696&#8243; height=&#8221;683&#8243; width=&#8221;1024&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the Capitol on Monday, June 30, 2025, as the Senate debates President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cone, big beautiful\u201d bill. (Graeme Jennings\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final Senate bill took more than 24 hours to pass. And it officially did right after noon on July\u00a01 when <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3458684\/trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-senate-vote\/\">Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote<\/a> to make the final tally 51-50. Trump opined that House passage would be \u201ceasier,\u201d but it was far from easy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Republican leaders had to keep a procedural vote open for more than seven hours, setting a record at the time for the longest vote in the lower chamber\u2019s\u00a0history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legislation eventually cleared the House as Trump and House leaders arm-twisted the Republican holdouts. The\u00a0measure never made it back to the Senate and was signed by Trump on Independence Day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), chair of the House Committee on the Budget, acknowledged that many of his GOP colleagues didn\u2019t like the idea of embracing the Senate legislation and instead wanted to return to sender. But if\u00a0that had happened, Arrington said, \u201cWould this thing have imploded? And would we have lost all the gains that we made? I think we would have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sending back a modified version to the Senate would have ensured that Trump\u2019s July 4 deadline would have been missed. There was also another factor: fatigue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tight timetable for the big beautiful bill had set in motion a series of committee, floor, and final passage deadlines that drained lawmakers who desperately wanted some downtime back home over the holiday weekend.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrasso said, \u201cPeople were pretty exhausted on both sides of the aisle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Murkowski, who later accused the administration of reneging on concessions she had secured for wind and solar projects, did not attend the July 4 signing ceremony.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surrounded by first lady <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/melania-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"696\">Melania Trump<\/a>, Republican lawmakers, and administration officials on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump signed the bill into law. The late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) exchanged pleasantries with Treasury Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/scott-bessent\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11700\">Scott Bessent<\/a>, telling Trump that the treasury secretary deserved a raise.\u00a0House Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7043\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) gave Trump the House gavel that had been used to officiate the passage of the historic bill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4654028\/lindsey-graham-memorial-service-dc\/\">LINDSEY GRAHAM\u2019S MEMORIAL SERVICE SET FOR JULY 28 IN DC<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump thanked many people for the legislation\u2019s success, including Thune, whom he called a \u201cfantastic guy.\u201d The president handed out signing pens as photos were snapped with everyone smiling and giving the patented Trump \u201cthumbs up\u201d sign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Thune was not there. He\u00a0opted to spend Independence Day with his family in South Dakota and celebrated by\u00a0doing what\u00a0he\u00a0described\u00a0as \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DLvZ3uDx0Fr\/?hl=en\">one big beautiful backflip<\/a>\u201d\u00a0into the Missouri River.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-063987d6e08d50880893aa549c414578 wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em>Members of the <\/em><\/em>Washington Examiner\u2019s<em><em>  staff who have worked on this series over the past several months are Haris Alic, Hailey Bullis, Bob Cusack, Christian Datoc, James A. Downs, Gabrielle M. Etzel, Lauren Green, Zach Halaschak, Chris Irvine, Joseph Lawler, Naomi Lim, Maydeen Merino, Callie Patteson, Mabinty Quarshie, Samantha-Jo Roth, David Sivak, and Ramsey Touchberry. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thune races against time to pass the Big Beautiful Bill<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4373,"featured_media":2635822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image_e3357f.png?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[9792,39259,4762,5894,3740],"class_list":["post-2635821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-drama","tag-lawmaking","tag-legislation","tag-politics","tag-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image_e3357f.png?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4373"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2635821"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2635825,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635821\/revisions\/2635825"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2635822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2635821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2635821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2635821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}