NOTE: VIDEO AT THE END OF ARTICLE
Fetterman Complains About Senate Voting Marathon
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman expressed frustration Monday morning as he endured a marathon series of votes on President Trump’s massive legislative package known as the “big, beautiful bill.” The freshman senator lamented that the grueling process was cutting into his beach vacation plans.
“Oh my God, I just want to go home. I’ve already … I’ve missed our entire trip to the beach,” Fetterman told reporters. He added that by the time he finished voting, his family would likely have returned from their getaway.
“There’s no drama,” he said, noting the only interesting votes would be close calls between a few GOP holdouts. Despite his complaints, Fetterman voted no on the bill.
Late Nights and Long Hours in the Senate
The Senate began voting shortly after 9:30 a.m. EDT Monday on dozens of procedural motions and amendments. The voting was expected to last late into the night or even early Tuesday morning.
Lawmakers from both parties were eager to leave Washington after a delayed start to the weeklong July Fourth recess. The delay was to finalize this major legislation, which weighed in at 940 pages.
Senators had to stay up late reading the revised bill, which was released just minutes before midnight on Friday. They also showed up on Saturday to finish preliminary votes well past 11 p.m.
Democratic Colleague Fires Back at Fetterman
Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat from Fetterman’s home state, criticized the junior senator’s remarks. “If you are here, you are damned lucky and privileged to be here,” Boyle told The Bulwark. “You should want to be here, and if you don’t want to be here, leave.”
Boyle said his young daughter understood the stakes. “This week will determine whether millions of Americans get to keep their health care. She’s only 11, and she gets that.”
Boyle praised the importance of the bill and promised to do “whatever it takes” to stop it if he opposed it. He insisted that every Democrat in Congress should have that same attitude.
Fetterman’s Party Leaders Responsible for Long Delays
Ironically, Fetterman’s own party leadership played a major role in extending the session. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer forced a name change on the bill and demanded the entire 940-page measure be read aloud on the Senate floor.
Schumer also raised a procedural objection to the bill’s original title, calling it a violation of the Congressional Budget Act. The objection succeeded, forcing the Senate to rename the bill before final passage.
Fetterman’s Position Puts Him at Odds With Democrats and Trump
Fetterman’s reluctance and public complaints come amid growing criticism from Democrats who accuse him of breaking with party lines. Yet President Trump called Fetterman “the most sensible” Democratic senator last week, despite his vote against the bill.
The unfolding political drama highlights the tightrope many Democrats walk — balancing constituent frustrations, party expectations, and high-profile national issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0I6wC5OwKc
