WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The Republicans controlling the U.S. House of Representatives are encountering increasing internal opposition to their plan to advance President Donald Trump's tax-cut and border agenda. This growing dissent has led Speaker Mike Johnson to acknowledge that a planned vote might not occur on Tuesday.
Johnson is facing pushback from several lawmakers within his narrow 218-215 majority. Their support is essential to deliver on Trump's $4.5 trillion tax-cut plan, which includes funding for the deportation of migrants living illegally in the U.S., tightening border security, energy deregulation, and increased military spending.
The tax cuts sought by Trump aim to extend breaks passed during his first term, a pivotal legislative accomplishment set to expire at the year's end. However, doubts about House Republicans’ unity have prompted Senate Republicans to enact their own budget resolution as a Plan B tactic last week. This $340 billion measure addresses Trump’s border, defense, and energy priorities but postpones the contentious issue of tax policy.
A faction of hardline House Republicans has expressed opposition to a budget blueprint that proposes cutting $2 trillion in spending over ten years to support Trump's agenda. This opposition seemingly aligns with billionaire Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency targets government workers and programs.
Adding to Johnson’s concerns, some caucus members on Tuesday expressed hesitation to vote for a measure unless there was an agreement on funding the government past March 14. Without congressional action, agencies will face a partial shutdown.
"I'm inclined to support it today, but we've got to get to a resolution on appropriations. And right now, I'm not getting clarity either out of the administration or out of leadership," said Representative Chip Roy of Texas, who had voted to move the resolution out of the House Rules Committee on Monday night.
Representative Warren Davidson, an Ohio hardliner, ties his support for the budget plan to fiscal 2025 appropriations, emphatically stating, "I am not voting for this ... The problem is the rest of the spending story is on discretionary, and there's no plan that's communicated for March 14 yet."
These current budget debates are just the first challenge lawmakers face this year. Later, they must address the federal government’s self-imposed debt ceiling or risk a catastrophic default on its $36 trillion debt.
Other Republican hardliners oppose the current plan because it fails to reduce the government's annual deficit, which reached $1.8 trillion in the fiscal year ending September 30. "If the Republican budget passes, the deficit gets worse, not better," commented Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky on the social media platform X.
"That sounds bad," replied Musk, who owns X.
Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries stated that none of his members would support the measure. "House Democrats will not provide a single vote to this reckless Republican budget," Jeffries declared.
Johnson also faces uncertainty among lawmakers in swing districts and those representing large Hispanic constituencies, concerned that significant spending cuts could harm programs providing food assistance, scholarship grants, and the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor.
Some lawmakers have become more positive about voting for the resolution, having received assurances that aid to Medicaid beneficiaries who are citizens and federal support for program benefits wouldn't be reduced. "I still haven't decided. But I'm leaning more towards 'yes' at the moment," said Representative Nicole Malliotakis from a Republican-leaning district in New York City.
The House was scheduled to vote Tuesday afternoon on initiating the budget resolution debate. Success in both the House and Senate will not automatically extend Trump's tax cuts but will unlock a parliamentary tool Republicans need to bypass Democratic opposition and the Senate filibuster to progress later this year.
Johnson, hailing from Louisiana, initially expressed optimism about passing the budget resolution on Tuesday as he headed into a meeting with Republican lawmakers. However, he later conceded that the vote might not proceed as planned. "There may be a vote tonight. There may not be," he told reporters. "Stay tuned."
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Reporting by David Morgan, additional reporting by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell
