WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A massive bill to provide tax cuts as well as major cuts to federal programs like Medicaid and food assistance is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate.

After easily passing through the House, President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill Act” now faces stiff resistance in the Senate.

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul says right now he’s a no on the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” because of its price tag.

“If I vote for the five trillion dollars debt, who’s left in Washington that cares about the debt?” asked Paul.

Meanwhile, Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst faced backlash during a town hall where she appeared to downplay concerns that proposed Medicaid cuts in the bill could lead to deaths.

“Well, we’re all going to die so for heaven’s sakes,” said Ernst.

On Saturday, Ernst attempted to mock the social media reaction.

“I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So, I apologize. And I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well”. 

Democrats, like Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, are hitting back.

“I think everybody in that audience knows that they’re going to die, they would just rather die in old age at 85 or 90,” said Murphy.

Despite White House optimism, the bill faces GOP divisions and Senate rules that could strip key provisions.