Senate Republicans eye weekend votes on Trump's massive bill as tensions run high

Senate Republican leaders are hoping to start voting on their massive domestic policy bill on Saturday, even as major pieces of it have yet to be finalized.

WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leaders are hoping to start voting on their massive domestic policy bill on Saturday, even as major pieces of it have yet to be finalized.

GOP senators held a lengthy lunch meeting Friday with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as the process grows messy and acrimonious, with a host of conflicting demands persisting within the party. Still, Republican leaders put members on notice that Senate votes were imminent.

“My expectation is: At some point tomorrow we’ll be ready to go,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said after the Friday meeting, although he wouldn’t say whether he has the 51 votes needed to begin debate.

“We’ll find out tomorrow,” Thune said, as Republicans race toward a self-imposed July 4 deadline to send the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.

While senators have been told to be prepared for the first vote on Saturday at noon, Thune conceded that timing is “aspirational.”