Difficult passage for budget in US Senate: 51-50

The US Senate passed President Donald Trump's controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill”, with cuts for social programmes like Medicaid, which will leave 11.8 million people with medical cover by 2030, and tax breaks for the rich.

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There was a long drawn-out 27-hour long to-and-fro with opposition coming from Republican senators. But Senate Majority leader John Thune had to run a tight ship as it were in support of a bill which went through the laborious process of umpteen amendments, which were rejected through a cumbersome legislative procedure. Three of the Republican senators refused to fall in line.

Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine held out. So the final voting score was 50-51, with Vice President J.D.Vance casting his tie-breaker vote. The Vice President is also the head of the Senate. The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives for the final vote.