House GOP averts rebellion to push Trump’s bill to final stage in Congress
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step forward in advancing President Donald Trump’s $3.3 trillion “big, beautiful bill” to its final phase in Congress. This move comes after overcoming fears of a potential Republican mutiny, marking a crucial victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Lawmakers voted to proceed with debate on the massive Trump agenda bill on Wednesday, in a mechanism known as a “rule vote,” setting the stage for a final House-wide vote in the coming days. While the exact timeline remains uncertain, Democrats could still employ various procedural tactics to delay the final measure.
Conservative lawmakers had expressed concerns about changes made by the Senate to the legislation, which they argued could add billions of dollars to the federal deficit. However, pressure from House GOP leaders and President Trump himself ultimately swayed the House Freedom Caucus members.
The Senate passed its version of the bill with modifications to provisions on Medicaid cost-sharing, tax measures, and the debt ceiling. While moderates are cautious about shifts in Medicaid costs to states that expanded their programs under Obamacare, conservatives believe the cuts are insufficient to offset additional spending in other areas.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus, Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, initially voted against the measure during the Rules Committee hearing. Despite concerns, House Speaker Johnson urged the Senate to make minimal changes before the vote.
President Trump took to social media to urge House Republicans to support the bill, emphasizing the benefits for the American people. The legislation would permanently extend lowered income tax brackets, introduce new tax deductions, eliminate green energy tax credits, increase funding for national defense and ICE, and implement new work requirements for Medicaid and federal food assistance.
Democrats have criticized the bill as a tax giveaway to the wealthy while cutting benefits for working-class Americans. On the other hand, Republicans argue that the tax provisions target the working and middle classes, while reforming federal welfare programs to better assist those in need.
Progressive Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., expressed the Democrats’ intent to delay proceedings as much as possible. Weather delays in Washington also posed a potential challenge for lawmakers trying to reach Capitol Hill for the planned vote.
Overall, the advancement of President Trump’s bill represents a crucial step in the legislative process, with both chambers of Congress working to iron out differences and move towards final passage. The coming days will likely bring further debates and negotiations as lawmakers seek to finalize this major piece of legislation.
