The United States Senate on Saturday morning approved a budgetary blueprint that will extend trillions of dollars from President Donald Trump's 2017 tax breaks and cut government spending.
The Republican-controlled upper house of Congress approved what Trump has called his "big, beautiful bill" by 51 votes to 48.
What are the implications of the vote?
The vote after an all-night legislative session largely went according to party affiliations, with two dissensions from prominent Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
The approval will allow the GOP — which has majorities in the Senate and the House — to pass tax cuts through both congressional chambers, without having to rely on votes from the opposition Democratic Party.
The bill comes amid recent economic turmoil in the US caused by Trump's imposition of tariffs on the country's trading partners.
The tariffs — which are taxes on foreign goods imported to the US — have sent global markets tumbling, as analysts warn of a possible recession and rising costs for American consumers.
Analysts estimate that the budget framework will add around $5.7 trillion (€5.2 trillion) to the US government's debt in the coming 10 years, although Republicans argued it will cost $1.5 trillion.
The bill also seeks to raise the government's debt ceiling by $5 trillion, which Congress has to approve before the summer recess to avoid defaulting on $36.6 trillion worth of debt.
Source: DW
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
