Senate Showdown: Dems Slam Budget Bill as ‘Bureaucratic Torture,’ GOP Cheers Economic Win

The Senate is a house divided over the House’s passage of a sweeping budget bill, dubbed by some as a ‘big, beautiful’ legislative behemoth. Democrats are sounding the alarm, warning that it carves up the safety net for working families, while Republicans insist it’s a lifeline for the same group, with a side of tax relief for the wealthy.

Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin didn’t mince words, accusing the GOP of wielding a ‘chainsaw’ to gut health care, food assistance, and other essentials for millions. ‘This bill hands billionaires a golden ticket while leaving American families in the dust,’ the retiring Illinois Democrat said, pointing the finger at President Donald Trump. He urged a handful of Senate Republicans to break ranks and block the bill’s path to the White House.

But across the aisle, the mood was celebratory. Senators Roger Marshall and Lindsey Graham gave House Speaker Mike Johnson a verbal high-five, praising the bill’s border security measures and its economic promises. John Thune, Senate Majority Leader, doubled down, saying the bill aims to ease the burden of soaring costs for mortgages, gas, and groceries—part of a broader GOP economic vision.

Democrats weren’t buying it. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the late-night House vote a ‘cloak-and-dagger’ move, accusing Republicans of hoping to slip a ‘rotten’ bill past the public. Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin warned it could strip health care from nearly 14 million Americans, while Oregon’s Ronald Wyden described it as a ‘full-scale assault’ on health and safety, predicting ‘bureaucratic water torture’ for those seeking care. Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks slammed the bill’s historic food stamp cuts, asking, ‘Beautiful for whom? Not the families relying on SNAP or Medicaid.’

Vermont’s Peter Welch and Bernie Sanders echoed the outrage, with Sanders decrying the bill as a gift to billionaires while everyday Americans struggle. New Jersey’s Andy Kim called it one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation in history, urging his constituents to stay vigilant.

Meanwhile, Republicans like Alabama’s Katie Britt and Iowa’s Chuck Grassley stood firm, praising the bill’s intent to stave off what they call the ‘biggest tax hike in history’ if Trump’s tax cuts expire. The Senate, led by Thune and Mike Crapo, plans to tweak the bill but keep changes minimal to preserve the House’s ‘delicate balance.’ They’re racing to deliver a final version to Trump by Independence Day.