WASHINGTON 性视界传媒 House Republicans pushed their sweeping tax and spending package across the finish line Thursday, handing President Donald Trump a major legislative victory that could define next year性视界传媒檚 midterm elections.
After a long day and night of back-room arm-twisting, House leaders finally secured enough votes from reluctant Republicans to pass their budget reconciliation bill over vehement Democratic protests. The final vote was 218-214, with two Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., were the only GOP 性视界传媒渘o性视界传媒 votes.
The seemingly improbable outcome means the huge budget measure will land on Trump性视界传媒檚 desk in time for Independence Day, the self-imposed goal that most Congress watchers thought couldn性视界传媒檛 be achieved.
The vote marked a major victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who spent much of the night corralling his conference to unite around the 性视界传媒渙ne big, beautiful bill性视界传媒 Trump has pitched for months.
性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檒l land this plane before July Fourth, as I told you all we would do,性视界传媒 Johnson told reporters Thursday morning.
Conservative holdouts, who sought deeper spending cuts, wanted assurances that additional efforts to reduce deficits and fix other policy differences they had with the Senate-passed product, would be coming soon. Johnson has also talked up the possibility of a second reconciliation bill later this year.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, who voted 性视界传媒減resent性视界传媒 in May on the initial House-passed bill, wouldn性视界传媒檛 elaborate on specifics of what assurances he received. But he seemed pleased with the outcome of talks with leadership and the White House.
性视界传媒淲e got significant commitments from the administration to work hard on the deficit issue,性视界传媒 Harris, R-Md., said Thursday.
Fitzpatrick posted a statement on his website shortly after the vote saying it was the Senate性视界传媒檚 amendments to Medicaid, in addition to several other Senate provisions, that 性视界传媒渁ltered the analysis性视界传媒 for the community he represents.
性视界传媒淭he original House language was written in a way that protected our community; the Senate amendments fell short of our standard,性视界传媒 he said.
Before the final vote 性视界传媒 delayed for several hours due to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries性视界传媒 record-setting 性视界传媒渕agic minute性视界传媒 speech 性视界传媒 House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Trump性视界传媒檚 personal intervention helped seal the deal for reluctant members, including a 1 a.m. phone call Thursday.
The sweeping measure, which passed the Senate on Tuesday after Vice President JD Vance broke a tie, now awaits the president性视界传媒檚 signature. It encompasses most of the major legislative priorities Trump set for his second term.
The legislation would extend the expiring 2017 tax cuts while offering new tax breaks on tips, overtime pay and car-loan interest, creating new tax-advantaged 性视界传媒淭rump accounts性视界传媒 for children, and much more. The total cost of the tax package, the bill性视界传媒檚 centerpiece, is close to $4.5 trillion over 10 years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
It would pump roughly $325 billion into border security measures and military needs. It would make over $1 trillion in cuts to the social safety net, including Medicaid and food stamps, while increasing the nation性视界传媒檚 $36.1 trillion debt limit by an additional $5 trillion.
The bill touches virtually every policy area lawmakers deal with; 10 Senate committees and 11 House panels weighed in with recommendations, a blend of which ultimately were included.
The House started the process, passing their version before Memorial Day. The Senate used the House性视界传媒檚 text as the basis, drafting a substitute amendment and ultimately further iterations as GOP leaders encountered procedural as well as substantive problems within their conference.
Other provisions in the final package include:
Nearly $500 billion in reduced incentives for wind power generation, solar panel deployment, electric vehicles and batteries and more.
Roughly $66 billion for commodity price supports, crop insurance and agricultural disaster aid, ahead of farm bill negotiations later this year.
Almost $25 billion for Coast Guard procurement including aircraft, helicopters and cutters.
$12.5 billion for air traffic control infrastructure and aviation safety.
$10 billion for NASA性视界传媒檚 missions to the moon and ultimately Mars.
Onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing incentives.
An expansion of tax-advantaged health savings accounts for individuals who purchase bronze or catastrophic plans on federally-subsidized exchanges and subscribers to direct primary care services.
Over $300 billion in reductions to estimated federal student loan payouts, largely through streamlining income-based repayment options.
Restored and expanded compensation for victims of radiation exposure as a result of U.S. nuclear testing.
The measure includes all manner of provisions that were tucked in under the radar, like new tax breaks for metallurgical coal producers and Native Alaskan fishermen.
Democrats highlighted unheralded items like a denial of exemptions from food-stamp work requirements for veterans.
But Democrats trained most of their fire on the bill for delivering tax cuts to well-off households while removing financial supports for the poor, as the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed.
性视界传媒淚t will wreck health care delivery, take food from hungry children, sentence seniors to early deaths, eliminate jobs and destabilize our economy,性视界传媒 Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., said during floor debate. 性视界传媒淚t takes from the poor, from the disabled, from the sick, from the hungry, and gives to the wealthy. This bill is cruel, it is immoral 性视界传媒 it is draconian, it is dangerous, it is criminal.性视界传媒
House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., who represents one of America性视界传媒檚 poorest districts, rebutted Democrats性视界传媒 attacks by pointing out that waitresses and truck drivers, nurses and farmers would benefit from the bill性视界传媒檚 tax cuts. The child tax credit and standard deduction, both doubled under the 2017 tax law, would be made permanent and expanded.
性视界传媒淭he one, big, beautiful bill is for the people who don性视界传媒檛 have lobbyists in this town,性视界传媒 Smith said. 性视界传媒淭he folks who work hard, play by the rules, and ask only for a fair shot and a government that works for them, not against them.性视界传媒
Democrats also focused on the deficit impact of the bill, a critique they shared with those on the right who initially held up the package.
The CBO estimated the legislation would increase deficits by almost $3.4 trillion over 10 years at a time when deficits were already set to soar because of an aging population and rising health care costs. That was nearly $1 trillion more than the initial House-passed bill, and about $760 billion over the ceiling House conservatives said was their absolute limit.
With the additional interest payments needed to service that new debt, overall costs could creep closer to $4 trillion.
Trump and top White House officials argue the deficit impact will be wiped out by faster economic growth, tariffs and discretionary spending cuts enacted through the appropriations process.
Most independent analysts dispute such growth claims, however, and Trump性视界传媒檚 tariffs may end up temporary due to court rulings and deals with trading partners.
