Senate Republicans are planning to heavily revise the 1,116-page bill passed narrowly by the House to advance President Trump’s legislative priorities, despite Speaker Mike Johnson urging minimal changes to preserve the fragile deal he negotiated to secure 215 votes.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated the Senate will have its “imprint” on the legislation, signaling significant rewrites are coming — a move some see as undercutting Trump’s agenda.
Multiple GOP senators are pushing for deeper deficit reduction, led by Ron Johnson, Rick Scott, and Mike Lee. They argue the House version doesn’t cut enough spending and are advocating for a return to pre-pandemic spending levels adjusted for inflation and population. They are also looking to roll back benefits for immigrants without legal status and repeal renewable energy tax incentives from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
While the House avoided changes to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid, Senate conservatives want to revisit it to curb spending.
Scott is calling for a complete repeal of Biden-era green energy tax credits, saying, “We should completely eliminate the Green New Deal.”
On Medicaid, moderates like Josh Hawley, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Jerry Moran are pushing back against cuts that could harm rural hospitals. They’re especially concerned about provider tax limits and co-pays of up to $35 for lower-income recipients. Meanwhile, others want to tighten eligibility, limiting access for able-bodied adults.
Senate Republicans are considering easing the House bill’s harsh stance on green energy incentives, which currently allows some credits only for projects started within 60 days of enactment. Senators like Thom Tillis, John Curtis, Lisa Murkowski, and Kevin Cramer are calling for a more measured approach and transitional help for businesses that already invested in clean energy.
The SALT deduction cap deal struck in the House — raising the cap to $40,000 for earners under $500,000 — is on shaky ground. Senate Republicans, most of whom don’t represent high-tax states, want to scale that number down and are unlikely to maintain the House’s compromise, even though it was crucial to passage.
Despite Speaker Johnson’s efforts to preserve his coalition, Thune and other Senate Republicans made it clear they will assert themselves on the issue, with Thune saying, “I know the House had to make a deal, but our members want to be heard.”
Senate Republicans also want to address tax provision sunsets in the bill. The House version temporarily restores 100% bonus depreciation and R&D expensing from 2025–2029. Thune and Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo want those provisions made permanent, not temporary.
The bill includes a controversial spectrum auction provision to help fund tax cuts by selling off government-owned airwaves. Defense-minded senators like Mike Rounds are opposing it unless protections are added for Department of Defense and intelligence community spectrum allocations.
Although publicly claiming to support the Trump agenda, Senate Republicans are actively pushing changes that could dilute or derail key provisions of the bill — a move seen by some Trump allies as intentional sabotage.
Behind the scenes, this intra-party conflict reveals sharp divides between House conservatives loyal to Trump and Senate Republicans more focused on fiscal orthodoxy or local interests.
As Trump attempts to solidify his legislative legacy ahead of a re-election bid, the Senate GOP’s willingness to rework, delay, or water down his “big, beautiful bill” has sparked accusations that they are undercutting the president rather than advancing his vision.
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