Trump budget bill heads to House-wide vote despite GOP divisions

House Republicans successfully navigated the final hurdle for their mammoth budget resolution late Monday night, paving the way for a full House vote later in the week. The legislation passed the House Rules Committee on a party-line vote, combining several bills aimed at advancing President Trump’s agenda through Congress via reconciliation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is leading the charge to push the bill through the House, with hopes of passing it on Tuesday evening. However, concerns about spending cut levels could potentially derail those plans. With current margins, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote without Democratic support.

Several conservative lawmakers have expressed reservations about the current text of the bill. Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., announced her opposition over the weekend, while others like Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have signaled their intent to vote against it as well. Concerns have been raised about potential cuts to Medicaid and other federal benefit programs that constituents rely on.

The bill aims to increase spending on border security, the judiciary, and defense by around $300 billion while seeking significant spending cuts elsewhere. It also includes $4.5 trillion to extend President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, which are set to expire at the end of the year. An amendment negotiated by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, would require lawmakers to make $2 trillion in cuts, or risk reductions in Trump’s tax cuts.

House GOP leaders have been working to address concerns from conservative members, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., who had expressed worries about affecting beneficiaries with drastic cuts. Johnson met with Malliotakis and other members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference to discuss their concerns and reportedly made progress in easing those worries.

The House Ways & Means Committee has also been closely monitoring the bill’s progress, with Malliotakis noting that the bill is moving in the right direction. The goal is to pass a broad range of Trump policies through the budget reconciliation process, which allows the majority party to pass tax and budget bills with a simple majority.

In the event that the House fails to pass its plan, a backup plan is in place in the Senate, where a narrower version of the bill was advanced last week. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is prepared with a backup plan if needed.

The House Rules Committee serves as the final gatekeeper for most legislation before a chamber-wide vote, setting terms for amendments and debate before advancing the bill. Once passed by the House, committees will work on filling out the framework with detailed policy priorities before it faces another House vote.

House Speaker Johnson has expressed a desire to see the bill passed sometime in April. The successful passage of this budget resolution is crucial for Republicans to advance their policy priorities and fulfill President Trump’s agenda. Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covering the House of Representatives. Follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.