John Fetterman Groans About Missing Family Beach Trip as He Votes on Donald Trump's Bill: 'I Just Want to Go Home!'

Senator John Fetterman expressed his frustration over missing a family beach trip while Congress was busy voting on President Donald Trump's economic bill.

The much-discussed spending package, dubbed the "Big, Beautiful Bill" by the Trump administration, made strides on Saturday, June 28, when the Senate voted to initiate debate. The bill still needs to clear another vote in the Senate before returning to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Following the Senate vote, Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer instructed Senate staff to read the bill aloud in full. This reading stretched over 900 pages and took more than 16 hours to complete.

By this point, Fetterman seemed weary of the prolonged process. CBS' Alan He reported that the Pennsylvania senator voiced his displeasure about missing out on a beach outing with his family.

"Oh my God, I just want to go home!" Fetterman said. "I've already missed our entire trip to the beach… There's no drama that we know the votes are going to go… And I think, I don't think it's really helpful to put people here till some ungodly hour."

His remarks came amidst intensified scrutiny for his absence from a significant number of Senate votes. Recently, he increased his meeting attendance, citing that the media had "weaponized" his mental health issues.

Fetterman has been open about his struggles with mental health, particularly after suffering a stroke in 2022. In 2023, he checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks to receive treatment for clinical depression.

He has spoken about feeling in a "very dark place" and the importance of seeking help. While he has publicly stated he is doing "great" and adhering to his treatment plan, some reports from former staff have raised concerns about his health and behavior, which Fetterman has dismissed as a "hit piece."

The "Big, Beautiful Bill" eyed tax cuts from 2017 permanent and add new ones, like no taxes on tips or overtime. It also wants to spend billions more on finishing the border wall with Mexico and on holding and deporting more immigrants.

At the same time, it suggests cutting money for programs like Medicaid (healthcare for low-income people) and food stamps and requiring people to work to get these benefits.

Trump's team is pushing this bill because they say it will boost the economy, create jobs and keep promises he made. But it also has received pushback, as critics argued that some clauses may hurt poor families and those in rural areas.

Democrats also say the bill will make the national debt even bigger, not smaller. The stronger focus on deportations and border security is also seen by opponents as cruel and against the law. Even some Republicans are concerned about the debt and how it might affect local hospitals.