Washington, June 29 (UNI) In a nail-biting vote, the Republican-led U.S. Senate has pushed forward President Donald Trump's huge ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ - a key move towards getting it passed before the upcoming July 4 break.



The mammoth 940-page bill scraped through a procedural vote late on Saturday night, 51-49. Two Republicans surprisingly sided with Democrats in opposing the measure, highlighting its divisive nature, reports New York Post.



The vote now allows formal debate to kick off on the legislation. The bill aims to make Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent, boost spending on defence and border security, and cut money for certain welfare programmes.



President Trump hailed the outcome on Truth Social, calling it a "GREAT VICTORY."



Trump has lobbied for House and Senate Republicans to fast-track the legislation so it lands on his desk by his self-imposed July 4 deadline.



The measure would make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, end taxation on tips and overtime, boost border security funding and scrap green-energy tax credits passed during the Biden administration.



However, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer criticised Republicans for rushing the process, demanding the entire bill be read aloud on the Senate floor to ensure proper scrutiny.



After the bill is read, lawmakers will have up to 20 hours to debate its contents before a final vote. The House of Representatives already narrowly approved a version of this bill in May. If the Senate passes it, the bill will return to the House for final approval before landing on the President’s desk for signing into law.



This bill is a cornerstone of Trump's economic agenda, aiming to cement his tax cuts while boosting defence and border spending, often at the expense of social programmes. Its passage would significantly reshape US fiscal policy. UNI ANV SSP