WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans must now shift their focus to enacting President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax plan, a far heavier lift than the $4 trillion budget plan they’ve muscled through the Senate to lay the groundwork.

The Senate on Thursday narrowly approved the budget plan, methodically working through a pack of amendments and rebuffing Democrats’ successive attempts to reshape the blueprint and derail the tax cuts. The final vote was 51-49 with deficit hawk Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky the lone opposing GOP vote.

 

Our tax code is burdensome, confusing & outdated. Pleased the Senate took this step to provide tax relief to hardworking Americans. pic.twitter.com/vFi3vrn7UK

— Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) October 20, 2017

It won’t be nearly as easy with the complex plan to bring steep tax cuts, especially for corporations, and overhaul a tax system which has divided House Republicans on regional fault lines.

Tonight I voted for and the Senate passed the FY2018 budget as first step to accomplishing tax reform. My statement: https://t.co/pXdtUUFEtb

— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) October 20, 2017