The House Budget Committee took a significant step on Sunday night by voting to advance President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. This sweeping bill successfully cleared a crucial hurdle, setting the stage for a potentially contentious series of votes later this week, particularly with hardline Republicans.
GOP leadership worked tirelessly over the weekend to realign the president’s tax and spending cuts bill, which faced an embarrassing setback late last week due to opposition from hardliners within the Budget Committee. The bill is now slated to move to the House Rules Committee, where it may encounter further resistance during an anticipated vote midweek.
The measure passed on Sunday with a narrow vote of 17-16. Four hardline Republicans—Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, and Andrew Clyde of Georgia—voted present, highlighting the internal divisions within the party. This vote follows a failed attempt on Friday night, when hardline conservatives expressed their dissatisfaction with specific provisions in the bill concerning Medicaid and tax credits.
After the Sunday vote, Budget Committee hardliners expressed cautious optimism, noting that while there were some positive changes to the bill, “there is more work to do.” Rep. Norman commented, “Had some great changes. Got a lot more work to do. We want to move the bill forward.”
Rep. Roy acknowledged changes made to Medicaid work requirements and tax subsidies, but cautioned that “the bill does not yet meet the moment.” He emphasized that further negotiations are necessary to ensure the bill aligns with hardline Republican demands. The hardliners have called for immediate implementation of stricter work requirements for Medicaid, rather than waiting until 2029, as well as deeper cuts to a clean energy tax program.
House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that Republicans might expedite the timeline for implementing work requirements for Medicaid recipients to gain the support of hardliners. Just before the vote, Johnson mentioned that “minor modifications” had been made to the bill, aiming to sway dissenting members within the party.
Post-vote, Johnson expressed confidence that discussions will continue within the caucus over the coming days. He aims to advance the bill to the House Rules Committee by Tuesday or Wednesday, with a target for a House floor vote by Thursday, right before a weeklong recess. Johnson stated, “Towards the end, there will be more details to iron out, but I’m looking forward to very thoughtful discussions.” He is “absolutely convinced” the measure will pass by the GOP’s Memorial Day goal.
House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington assured that deliberations would proceed throughout the week. He noted, “I suspect right up until the time we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House.” After the vote, Arrington communicated that “the president has been very deferential to the House,” allowing the legislative process to unfold.
The bill represents a key priority for President Trump, who took to Truth Social on Friday, urging Republicans to unite behind “THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!” The proposed legislation includes trillions of dollars in tax cuts along with significant boosts to the US military and national security, primarily funded through overhauls to federal health and nutrition programs and cuts to energy programs.
However, making changes to appease hardliners risks alienating moderate Republicans, who are concerned that phasing out tax credits may jeopardize jobs in their districts. Additionally, a faction of swing-district House Republicans is advocating for an increase in the tax rate on top earners to offset costs associated with raising the SALT deduction cap. Hardliners have warned they will not support an increase in the SALT cap unless it is adequately funded.
As the legislative process unfolds, House Republicans await updates regarding SALT and other contentious issues. When asked about the bill's chances of advancing from the House Rules Committee, Rep. Roy, who is a member of the committee, replied, “We’ll see.”
This article has been updated to reflect the latest developments. Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Manu Raju, Lauren Fox, and Jenna Monnin.
