Vance Casts Tie-Breaking Vote to Advance $9B DOGE Cuts

"When you've got a $36 trillion debt, we have to do something to get spending under control," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.

The White House campaign to win over potential holdouts had some success. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., tweeted he would vote to support the measure after working with the administration to "find Green New Deal money that could be reallocated to continue grants to tribal radio stations without interruption."

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she was particularly concerned about a lack of specifics from the White House.

"The rescissions package has a big problem — nobody really knows what program reductions are in it," Collins said. "That isn't because we haven't had time to review the bill. Instead, the problem is that OMB has never provided the details that would normally be part of this process."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she did not want the Senate to be going through numerous rounds of rescissions.

"We are lawmakers. We should be legislating," Murkowski said. "What we're getting now is a direction from the White House and being told: 'This is the priority and we want you to execute on it. We'll be back with you with another round.' I don't accept that."

McConnell said he wanted to make clear he did not have any problem with reducing spending, but agreed with Collins that lawmakers did not have enough details from the White House.

"They would like a blank check is what they would like, and I don't think that's appropriate," McConnell said.

"This bill is a first step in a long but necessary fight to put our nation's fiscal house in order," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said.

Democrats warned that it is absurd to expect them to work with Republicans on bipartisan spending measures if Republicans turn around a few months later and use their majority to cut the parts they do not like.

"It shreds the appropriations process," said Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats. "The Appropriations Committee, and indeed this body, becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants."