President Donald Trump’s domestic policy package passed the Senate by the slimmest of margins Tuesday, with Pennsylvania’s two senators voting along party lines as expected.
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, D-Pittsburgh, joined 49 other Republicans in supporting Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill.
Three GOP senators — U.S. Sens. Thomas Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky — opposed the bill, as did U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, and the chamber’s 44 other Democrats and two independents who caucus with the Democrats.
Vice President JD Vance, in his role as president of the Senate, broke the 50-50 tie to send the legislation back to the U.S. House.
“I am proud to support this bill because it would deliver continued tax relief to millions of Pennsylvania families and prevent the largest tax increase in American history,” McCormick said in a statement after the vote. “This bill also delivers on many of the promises that both President Trump and I made — to secure our nation’s border and bolster our national defense to keep Americans safe, and to unleash American energy potential and lower costs for consumers.”
“No bill is perfect, but these provisions will make a real difference in the lives of people working hard to make ends meet and raise their families across the commonwealth,” McCormick added. “I also believe that the historic investments in the border, law enforcement and defense will benefit all Pennsylvanians in the coming years, as will the important provisions that will unleash Pennsylvania energy.”
Fetterman has maintained for some time that he would vote against the bill.
In a post to the social media site X on Monday, Fetterman wrote, “I’m a HARD NO on the final bill and won’t support cutting Medicaid, SNAP or adding up to $5T to our national debt.”