Republicans had been attempting Tuesday to ram by way of President Trump’s “big, beautiful” price range plan, together with steep spending cuts and massive tax breaks for the rich over cussed opposition from Democrats and a few GOP holdouts.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson was wrangling to win over fellow Republican lawmakers with opposing calls for as he sought to win the near-unanimous GOP assist wanted to get the invoice over the end line within the face of united Democratic opposition.
Key votes had been set for Tuesday night however the end result was very unsure as at the least a handful of GOP lawmakers say they don’t plan to assist the measure because it stands.
“No concerns,” Johnson instructed reporters on the best way into work Tuesday. “We’re going to get everyone there,” he stated earlier, including that it’d require a “prayer request” to win.
If authorized, the package deal would mark an important legislative victory for Trump as he pushes to increase his signature multi-trillion greenback tax breaks whereas additionally slicing spending to keep away from blowing up the price range deficit.
It’s not going easily to date and Johnson has virtually no room for error with only a three-vote majority.
Some reasonable and institution Republicans fear voters will blame them for backing deep cuts to federal spending applications their constituents depend on like well being care, meals stamps, scholar loans and different widespread applications.
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson with Elon Musk. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures)
However GOP price range hardliners take a diametrically reverse stance, demanding even deeper spending cuts as the value of their assist.
The drama on Capitol Hill is unfolding as presidential billionaire buddy Elon Musk rips federal companies aside together with his Division of Authorities Effectivity firing hundreds of employees nationwide, frightening indignant protests from voters at city corridor conferences held by Republican lawmakers.
“While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on President Trump’s agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation,” wrote Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), a key reasonable vote who continues to be on the fence.
At the least three hardline price range hawks, in the meantime, have stated they are going to vote no, which by itself might doom the plan to defeat.
Democrats are mobilizing their caucus to oppose the plan, and to date they count on to vote in lockstep in opposition to what they name Trump’s “GOP tax scam.”
Home Democratic Chief Rep. Hakeem Jeffries was set to guide Democrats in a present of unified opposition on the steps of the Capitol forward of Tuesday’s legislative session.
Johnson, whose social gathering misplaced seats in final November’s election, instructions one of many thinnest majorities in fashionable historical past, which implies he should hold virtually each Republican in line or threat dropping the vote.
Already, a number of lawmakers have objected to the package deal both as a result of it cuts an excessive amount of or as a result of it doesn’t reduce sufficient.
Initially Printed: February 25, 2025 at 11:11 AM EST
