Republicans are inching closer to getting their tax and spending cut bill through Congress with a final Senate vote expected  late Monday or early Tuesday.

Entering the final stretch of an arduous process, the Republican-controlled Senate began voting Monday on amendments to President Donald Trump's massive tax cut and spending bill, with the goal of passing it later in the day.

The US Senate will begin voting on a massive spending plan, dubbed the "big beautiful bill", on Monday after weeks of contentious negotiations. Republicans - who control both chambers of Congress - were divided over how much to cut welfare programmes in order to extend tax breaks.