Senate Democrats slammed their Republican colleagues after the Senate passed a budget plan late into the night, which would severely reduce funding for Medicare and Medicaid while extending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
The resolution, which passed early Saturday morning by a narrow 51-48 vote, includes proposals to cut social programs like Medicare and Medicaid, extend tax cuts from President Trump’s 2017 tax overhaul, increase defense spending, and expand oil and gas drilling. The GOP’s move sparked immediate backlash from Democrats who argue that it will hurt American families, particularly low-income ones, while benefiting the richest Americans.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who notably backed Republican’s continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown earlier this year, took to social media to voice his opposition. “Just left the Senate after voting a hard NO on the ‘one big, beautiful bill,’” Fetterman wrote on X, referring to Trump’s description of the bill. “I will never support a bill that uses Medicare, Medicaid or SNAP cuts to pay for tax cuts for billionaires,” he added.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also blasted the bill, calling it a “terrible budget plan.” He tweeted, “Republicans just rammed their terrible budget plan through the Senate.” Van Hollen continued, “It’s never been more clear: they are hell bent on passing a giant tax giveaway for billionaires like Elon Musk at the expense of everybody else. We won’t stop fighting.”
The Maryland senator also criticized the Republicans for blocking amendments designed to protect social programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, and school lunches. “Republicans time and again voted down our amendments to protect the American public,” he said in a video accompanying his post.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) echoed the concern, accusing the GOP of putting billionaires’ interests ahead of working families. “We tried to make changes to protect Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance, and even prevent higher costs for YOU – Republicans blocked them,” Rosen wrote on X. “They’ve made their priorities clear: billionaires win, families lose.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) went further, framing the passage as a victory for President Trump and a betrayal of the American people. “Donald Trump has betrayed the American people. And in voting for this budget bill, Senate Republicans sided with billionaires, against the middle class, in total obeisance to Donald Trump,” Schumer wrote online.
Schumer also pointed to Trump’s recent tariffs, warning they could lead to a recession, and used it to further criticize the GOP’s budget. “The odds of a recession are surging because of Trump’s tariffs. And with the bill [the] Senate GOP just passed, it’s a brutal Republican pincer move against American families: Trump’s tariffs raising costs on one side, and Senate GOP cutting Medicaid and pushing billionaire tax breaks on the other,” he wrote. “They are chaining themselves to the MAGA anchor and leaping into the ocean,” Schumer added.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also joined the criticism, calling the passage a “great night for billionaires — a bad night for everyone else.”
Despite the harsh opposition from Democrats, Republicans celebrated the bill’s passage. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) praised the plan, calling it an important step toward fulfilling key Republican goals. “Tonight, the Senate took one small step toward reconciliation and one giant leap toward making the tax cuts permanent, securing the border, providing much-needed help for the military and finally cutting wasteful Washington spending,” Graham wrote online.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also supported the plan, emphasizing its alignment with Trump’s goals. “President Trump wants to balance the budget and decrease our debt,” Cassidy said in a statement. “I agree.”
The budget plan still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can become law. If both chambers agree on the resolution, it will trigger the reconciliation process, allowing Republicans to pass the legislation without needing to overcome a filibuster.
