President Donald Trump's "Big and Beautiful Act" may vote on the whole family on Wednesday night after 8-4 votes approved by the key committee.
The House Rules Committee is the gatekeeper for most legislation before reaching the entire chamber to meet for the first time at 1 a.m. Wednesday, promptly advancing the massive bill Speaker Mike Johnson sent it to the Senate on Memorial Day.
After all four Democrats voted against the measure, the panel was recessed by 11 p.m. Wednesday, with all current Republicans voting for it. R-Texas Rep. Chip Roy, the only member of the congressman, missed the vote.
The proceedings spread for hours, with Democrats on the committee repeatedly denounced Republicans for trying to move the bill “in the nighttime death” and trying to increase the cost of working-class families at the expense of the rich.
White House urges vote for Republican "big and beautiful Bill" immediately
House Speaker Mike Johnson shook hands with President-elect Donald Trump at a House Republicans meeting on November 13, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Democratic lawmakers have also delayed the process through dozens of amendments, stretching from early Tuesday to Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Republicans argue that the bill aims to promote small businesses, farmers and low-income families while reducing waste, fraud and abuse in government safety nets.
In the sign of the high-bet of the conference, Johnson (R-La.
But the committee launched a meeting to propose the bill through several key issues – Blue State Republicans pushed for a pay rise on state and local tax (salt) deductions, while conservatives demanded stricter job requirements rules for Medicaid and a complete repeal of green energy subsidies granted by former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The long-awaited legislative amendment, designed to address these issues, debuted Wednesday around 9 p.m.
House Freedom Caucus heads to the White House after delaying playing Trump's "big and beautiful bill"
Speaker Mike Johnson must drive his dangerously thin majority to pass President Trump's agenda (Getty Images/Fox News Digital Illustration)
The amendment will speed up Medicaid work requirements for certain sound recipients from 2029 to December 2026, not following the Obamacare-era expansion plan and follow Obamacare-era rewards with more federal funding.
If they do not show a relatively fast ROI, it will also end substantial green energy tax subsidies by 2028.
Meanwhile, the Democrats accuse Republicans of rushing to change legislation without notice.
Johnson told Fox News at 1 a.m. Wednesday that he was "very close" to a deal with the House Republican faction.
When Johnson returns at this meeting, the House will vote forward late Wednesday or early Thursday.
But the passage of the legislation through the House Rules Committee does not necessarily mean it will perform well in the family vote.
A pair of House Rules Committee members, Roy and Rep. Ralph Norman, RS.C. , two of the conservative House Freedom Caucus members who called for a delay in local vote on Wednesday.
General vision of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, February 28, 2013. Reuters/Jason Reed (Reuters/Jason Reed)
Meanwhile, the White House’s efforts toward those rebels have declined, demanding a “immediate” vote in an official policy statement supporting the House Republican bill.
However, several of the Fiscal Hawks were more optimistic after the White House met with Trump and Johnson.
Republicans are working to pass a budget reconciliation process to pass Trump's policies on tax, immigration, energy, defense and national debt all through a huge bill.
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Budget settlement lowers the threshold for the Senate to pass from 60 votes to 51 votes, allowing those in power to bypass minorities (in this case Democrats) to pass comprehensive legislation as long as they deal with federal budget, taxes or state debt.
House Republicans hope to pass the House and Senate bill by July 4.