Fetterman Tells Reporters ‘I Just Want To Go Home’ Amid OBBB Debate

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) complained to the press on Monday about missing his family vacation to vote on the budget bill in Washington, D.C. 

“Oh my God, I just want to go home, I’ve already missed our entire trip to the beach,” he said.

Sen. Fetterman expressed annoyance and frustration about how long the vote on the legislation, dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill” by Republicans, appears to be taking, noting how the outcome seems already predetermined.

“And again, I’m gonna vote no. There’s no drama, the votes are going to go. In fact, the only interesting votes are gonna be on the margins, whether that’s Collins, or Johnson and those, but all the Democrats, we all know how that’s gonna go,” he said.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) had both expressed some opposition to the bill, calling the bill irresponsible, grotesque, and immoral.” Both senators flipped their “no” votes to “yes” over the weekend, advancing the bill to final debate.

The Senate is scrambling to meet President Trump’s July 4 deadline to pass the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which has been the subject of congressional battles for weeks. After the House narrowly passed the bill, it was sent to the Senate for review, resulting in significant changes that drew controversy from all sides.

Among the most controversial parts of the Senate version are reduced federal spending on Medicaid, shifting costs of food stamps to states, a $5 trillion debt ceiling increase and a permanent expansion of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated on Sunday that the bill would increase the deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next decade.

Sen. Fetterman has been vocal about his mental health in the past.

In a May interview with The New York Times, he said he felt his mental health had been weaponized by his political opponents, who criticized him for missing 18% of Senate floor votes since taking office. 

“The votes I missed were overwhelmingly procedural; they’re even called ‘bed check’ votes,” he said. 

“I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date,” Sen. Fetterman continued.

Speaking on Monday about the “Big Beautiful Bill,” Sen. Fetterman said, “I don’t think it’s really helpful to put the people here ‘til some ungodly hour.”