GOP strategists seemed to understand the buzzkilling buzzsaw they were marching toward with a grim sense of inevitability. Even then, there was still no guarantee the House would accept the Senate’s rewrite of their work.

After a late shift by Senator Lisa Murkowski to yes, the legislation now returns to the House, where its passage remains far from certain.

After an all-night session mostly consumed with voting down Democratic amendments, the U.S. Senate passed Donald Trump’s budget-reconciliation megabill by the smallest possible margin: 51-50, with Vice-President J.