Trump budget bill faces key vote after rocky reception from House GOP
House GOP’s Proposal for Massive Conservative Policy Overhaul Faces Resistance from Republican Lawmakers
The House GOP’s proposal for a massive conservative policy overhaul has hit a roadblock with Republican lawmakers expressing concerns and reservations about the bill. With the current majority, Republicans will need to vote in near lock-step to pass anything without Democratic support.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital that he believes the proposal will need to be modified before it can come to the floor. Other members of the GOP hardliner group, such as Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., have also criticized the bill, calling it a “pathetic” attempt at cutting spending.
The House and Senate Republicans are working to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda through the budget reconciliation process. This process reduces the threshold for passage in the Senate from two-thirds to a simple majority, allowing the party in power to pass budgetary and fiscal legislation without help from the opposition.
The Senate Budget Committee approved its own plan, while the House counterpart is set to meet on their proposal. However, there are concerns about whether the bill will pass. Four conservatives on the House Budget Committee did not commit to voting for the 45-page proposal released by GOP leaders.
If all four conservatives voted against the legislation, it would be enough to block the resolution from advancing to the House floor. Other conservatives have also expressed reservations about the bill, stating that it does not do enough to address fiscal cuts.
The House’s bill mandates at least a $1.5 trillion reduction in federal spending over the next 10 years, along with $300 billion in new spending for border security and national defense. It also includes a $4 trillion increase in the debt ceiling, as demanded by Trump.
However, there are concerns among some Republicans about the $4.5 trillion allocated towards extending Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Ways & Means Committee members have expressed unease about the figure, with some stating that it is not enough to cover President Trump’s tax cuts.
The resolution faces its first big test on Thursday morning, with Republicans aiming to use reconciliation to pass a broad swath of Trump’s priorities. Speaker Mike Johnson has called the Senate’s plan a “nonstarter,” expressing concerns about leaving tax cut extensions for a second bill.
Overall, the House GOP’s proposal for a massive conservative policy overhaul is facing resistance and criticism from Republican lawmakers. It remains to be seen whether the bill will pass and advance to the House floor.
