On Wednesday, Republicans in the House of Representatives experienced a halting progression in their efforts to advance United States President Donald Trump’s massive tax-cut and spending bill. At one point, it appeared they had overcome concerns regarding its cost, which had been raised by a handful of hardliners.
However, the measure subsequently stalled again.
As lawmakers moved in and out of closed-door meetings, a procedural vote was kept open for over seven hours, allowing President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson time to persuade dissenting members to support the president’s flagship legislation. Ultimately, the procedural measure passed by a vote of 220-212 along party lines. This outcome suggests, but does not guarantee, that Trump may have swayed some skeptics.
Voting then commenced on another preliminary measure required to move the bill to a final vote on the House floor. However, Republicans failed to secure enough votes as five Republican defectors—a sufficient number to defeat the measure—voted against Trump. Any of these defectors still retain the option to change their vote.
Around midnight Washington time (0400 GMT), President Trump expressed frustration that the legislation, which he has touted as “One Big Beautiful Bill,” had not yet cleared this procedural hurdle, with voting continuing in the US House of Representatives.
“Largest Tax Cuts in History and a Booming Economy vs. Biggest Tax Increase in History, and a Failed Economy. What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove??? MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT’S COSTING YOU VOTES,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform as Wednesday night transitioned into Thursday morning.
A few so-called fiscal hawks, who oppose deficit spending, joined all House Democrats in voting “no.” Democrats have been critical of the proposed cuts to social spending. Republicans had seemed more optimistic earlier on Wednesday night.
Leaving Speaker Johnson’s office, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told Reuters that progress was being made. “There’s going to be a vote tonight, and we’ll finish voting on the rule, and then we’ll do the debate. We’ll vote on the bill,” Emmer stated. Trump had also adopted an optimistic tone at that time, claiming in a social media post that “the Republican House Majority is UNITED.”
The Senate passed the legislation, which nonpartisan analysts estimate will add $3.4 trillion to the nation’s $36.2 trillion debt over the next decade, by the narrowest possible margin on Tuesday. This came after intense debate concerning the bill’s substantial price tag and its proposed $900 million in cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for low-income Americans.
With a slim 220-212 majority, Speaker Johnson can afford no more than three defections from his party’s ranks. Earlier in the day, skeptics from the party’s right flank had asserted they had more than enough votes to block the bill. “He knows I’m a ‘no.’ He knows that I don’t believe there are the votes to pass this rule the way it is,” Republican Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, a leader of the hardline Freedom Caucus, informed reporters.
July 4 Deadline and Key Provisions
Trump, who is pushing lawmakers to get him the bill to sign into law by the July 4 Independence Day holiday, met with some of the dissenting members at the White House.
Democrats are unified in their opposition to the bill, arguing that its tax breaks disproportionately benefit the wealthy while simultaneously cutting services crucial to lower- and middle-income Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that nearly 12 million people could lose health insurance as a result of the bill. “This bill is catastrophic. It is not policy, it is punishment,” Democratic Representative Jim McGovern declared during debate on the House floor.
Republicans in Congress have faced challenges in maintaining unity in recent years, but they have not openly defied Trump since his return to the White House in January. Any alterations made by the House would necessitate another Senate vote, making it virtually impossible to meet the July 4 deadline.
The legislation encompasses most of Trump’s top domestic priorities, ranging from tax cuts to immigration enforcement. Specifically, the bill would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, reduce health and food safety net programs, fund Trump’s immigration crackdown, and eliminate many green-energy incentives. It also includes a $5 trillion increase in the nation’s debt ceiling, a critical issue lawmakers must address in the coming months to avert a potentially devastating default. The proposed Medicaid cuts have also raised concerns among some Republicans, prompting the Senate to allocate more funding for rural hospitals.
