Virginia’s two Democratic senators voted against a Republican budget package that passed the Senate Tuesday morning in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after an all-night session.
The nearly 1,000-page legislation now returns to the House where its passage remains uncertain. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released a joint statement opposing the measure.
“Today, Republicans jammed through a partisan megabill that slashes Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and other critical programs that Americans rely on in order to pay for massive tax breaks to the very rich,” the senators said. “It’s clear that the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans are only interested in helping the wealthiest—even if it means ripping off working- and middle-class people, killing jobs, and hurting our economy.”
Projected Impact on Virginia
According to Warner and Kaine’s analysis, the Republican budget would affect Virginia residents in several ways:
- 323,000 Virginians would lose health insurance coverage
- More than 204,000 Virginians would see cuts to SNAP nutrition benefits
- Over 20,000 Virginia jobs would be at risk
- Rural communities across the state would face particular challenges
The senators also stated the legislation would increase medical debt for families and raise energy costs throughout the state.
Warner’s Airport Safety Amendment
During the overnight voting session, Warner proposed an amendment to increase safety funding for airports near Washington, D.C., and establish a memorial for victims of January’s plane crash near Reagan National Airport. The amendment failed on a 50-50 tie vote.
“The reconciliation bill increases, actually doubles, the amount of rent that National and Dulles pay the government but doesn’t use any of that money to make those airports and the people who use them any safer,” Warner said during floor debate, according to States Newsroom reporting.
Three Republicans, including Maine’s Susan Collins, voted with Democrats in support of Warner’s amendment.
Kaine’s Amendment Efforts
Kaine filed multiple amendments to the legislation, all of which were rejected. He had previously referred to the bill as the “Hurt People, Kill Jobs, and Spike the Debt to Reward the Rich Act.”
“I’m filing amendments to protect Americans from some of the worst of the worst from this Administration and its partisan megabill — from safeguarding our rural hospitals and preventing Americans from losing their health insurance, to keeping families from going hungry, standing up for our veterans, and preventing energy cost increases,” Kaine said in a statement.
Budget Impact and Tax Provisions
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would add $3.25 trillion to federal deficits over 10 years. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projects the Senate version would add $600 billion to the national deficit in 2027 alone.
According to Warner and Kaine’s statement, the bill provides tax cuts of $255,125 for the richest 0.1% of Americans and eliminates a program that allows Americans to file federal taxes for free.
The measure raises the debt limit by $5 trillion, according to States Newsroom reporting.
Legislative Process and Next Steps
The bill passed after three Republican senators—Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina—voted against it, according to States Newsroom.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who voted for the bill, told reporters afterward: “We do not have a perfect bill by any stretch of the imagination” and called it “probably the most difficult and agonizing legislative 24-hour period that I have encountered.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement saying the chamber “will work quickly to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill that enacts President Trump’s full America First agenda by the Fourth of July.” Johnson can afford to lose only four Republican votes if all House members are present.
Bill Contents
The legislation extends and expands the 2017 tax law and includes several provisions from Trump’s campaign promises, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and car loan interest for a limited time, according to States Newsroom reporting.
The package includes funding increases for border security and defense, while making cuts to Medicaid and shifting significant SNAP costs to states for the first time.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure all Virginians have the support they need in the wake of this disastrous legislation,” Warner and Kaine concluded in their joint statement.
