Spending bill vote enters second day

Senate divided on Medicaid cuts, debt

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US Senate Republicans were still trying to pass President Donald Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill early yesterday morning, despite divisions within the party about its expected US$3.3 trillion hit to the nation’s debt pile.

Senators voted in a marathon session known as a “vote-a-rama”, featuring a series of amendments by Republicans and the minority Democrats, part of the arcane process Republicans are using to bypass Senate rules that normally require 60 of the chamber’s 100 members to agree on legislation.

Beginning early on Monday and running for roughly 18 hours, it was still unclear how long the voting would last. Lawmakers said the process had been held up partly by the need to determine whether amendments complied with special budgetary rules.