July 4 deadline for debt ceiling bill at risk as Senate votes on Bill
Senate GOP aiming to find spending reductions ‘over and above’ the House’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
Majority Leader Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., breaks down the ongoing efforts from congressional Republicans to pass the Trump-backed ‘big, beautiful bill’ on ‘The Will Cain Show.’
Fox has learned that it is doubtful that Senate Republicans will put the Big, Beautiful Bill on the floor for debate and a vote next week. That likely waits until the week of June 22. This potentially jeopardizes final passage of the measure through the Senate AND House by July 4.
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to release its text of the bill as early as Monday. That section of the legislation is the most expansive and probably most controversial. Key tax provisions like SALT (state and local tax reductions), potential spending cuts and changes to Medicare/Medicaid all appear in this section of the legislation.
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Sen. John Thune (R-SD), joined Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) (L) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), speaks about the Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on September 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Senators and Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough will then begin a process of weeding out provisions which do not comport with strict Senate Budget provisions. That’s why the plan probably isn’t ready for debate and a "vote-a-rama" until the week after next.
If the Senate advances the bill, the House will have a tight window to either accept the Senate changes and greenlight the bill before July 4 - or bounce it back to the Senate with yet ANOTHER set of changes.
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Thune said all options are under consideration after Trump posed a litmus test to GOP leader candidates. (Reuters)
Such a scenario would most certainly stretch out the process beyond the July 4 deadline. It would also compel the Senate to take a 4th vote-a-rama in just a matter of months. That’s where the Senate votes for hours on end with one roll call after another.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
