Senate kicks off all-night ‘vote-a-rama’ as Democrats plan to press GOP on Trump, DOGE

The Senate kicked off a marathon vote series on Friday night, which Republicans need to get through in order to approve their changes to the House’s plan for President Donald Trump’s budget. 

The endless amendment votes began after nearly a day of debate concluded. Republicans passed a key motion on Thursday to begin the process, which will end with a vote on their adjustments to the House GOP’s budget. 

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (Reuters)

During the “vote-a-rama,” senators of both parties are able to introduce an unlimited number of amendments, and many are expected to get floor votes. Democrats are planning to use the marathon of votes as an opportunity to force Republicans to go on record on Trump’s tariffs and the actions of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

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President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled “Make America Wealthy Again” at the White House in Washington on April 2, 2025. (Getty Images)

On Thursday, the Senate agreed on a motion to proceed by a vote of 52 to 48, along party lines. 

The only exception was Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who voted against it. He has notably criticized the budget amendment’s provision on the debt ceiling, which would raise it by up to $5 trillion. 

During the last such series in February, the Senate voted for about 10 hours, into the early morning. The budget they passed was the Senate GOP’s preferred strategy of having two budget reconciliation resolutions for the border and extending Trump’s tax cuts. 

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Sen. Rand Paul talks with reporters after the senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on April 1, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

But the House’s plan to address both in one bill ultimately won out after getting Trump’s blessing. 

It’s unclear how long the voting will last, as it depends on how many amendments get votes and when Democrat and Republican leadership in the Senate come to a time agreement. 

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Republicans aren’t necessarily on the same page just yet about budget reconciliation. (Reuters)

When the voting series ends, a final vote will take place to approve the Senate amendment to the House’s budget. If this passes, it will still need to return to the lower chamber before taking effect. 

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In addition to raising the debt ceiling, and in doing so taking leverage away from the Senate Democrats, the Senate budget amendment makes Trump’s tax cuts permanent by what’s known as a current policy baseline, determined by Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.