Senators Need a Break
On Monday, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania expressed his frustration, wishing he could be at the beach rather than dealing with a busy voting schedule ahead of the likely approval of a significant bill proposed by President Trump. “Oh my god, I just want to go home. I already missed my entire trip to the beach,” Fetterman lamented to a reporter.
He made it clear he would be voting against the bill, sharing his thoughts candidly: “There’s no drama—we know how it’s going to go.” He also added, “I think it’s really pointless to have people here until I’m insane.”
The Senate had taken a break for the Independence Day holiday but was scheduled to reconvene on July 7. However, Majority Leader John Tune (R-SD) decided to keep senators on site until the vote for the proposed legislation was concluded. Party leaders often make the most of workdays and late-night sessions to push critical legislation forward.
While many senators may feel similarly about wanting some time off, few openly admit it. Just last month, lawmakers were kept busy working on various legislative packages in the Capitol complex.
On Saturday, the Senate voted to start discussing the major bill, and on Monday, they faced multiple party-line votes on various amendments. Fetterman pointed out the lack of excitement in the voting process, saying the only noteworthy aspect was whether Republicans Susan Collins or Ron Johnson would join in. “But with all Democrats, we all know how it goes,” he remarked.
In a post on social media, Fetterman emphasized his opposition to Trump’s domestic agenda, stating, “Not a single Democrat will support the ‘big beautiful bill.’ I’m here to vote for these fixes.” He expressed frustration concerning potential cuts to Medicaid and the national debt during the discussions.
Fetterman faced backlash on social media for his comments, with critics pointing out the disconnect between his sentiments and the urgent issues at hand. For some observers, it appeared that he would rather be on the beach than addressing what they viewed as significant legislative responsibilities.
Former campaign communication director Joe Calvelo criticized Fetterman’s attitude, commenting, “This bill is the largest transfer of wealth from the working class to the top 1%, and Fetterman’s message to voters is that he just wants to go home.”
Later that Monday, the Senate voted on the final passage of the bill, sending it to the House, where it could potentially be addressed as soon as Wednesday.
