On a strict party line vote, the Senate passed a motion to proceed to a final vote on the Republican "tax plan", a hodgepodge of private tax hikes and corporate tax cuts, a repeal of Obamacare individual mandate that is expected to steeply increase plan rates, dramatically increase the deficit, and cut $25 billion in Medicare—which will cause cancer patients and other Americans with expensive medical conditions to be refused treatment.
While several Republican Senators had objected to these and other aspects of the bill, no Republicans voted against the motion to proceed. A final vote could now take place in the Senate by the end of the week.