House Republicans air key issues ahead of Trump's agenda bill

WASHINGTON - House Republican leaders are competing, even if some are dug out, key issues that have not been resolved, President Donald Trump’s agenda spreads across the finish line.

The House Rules Committee began debate after 1 a.m. ET Wednesday, the last step before heading to the entire chamber of commerce. R-La. Speaker Mike Johnson said he hopes the House will vote on the legislation and send it to the Senate on Wednesday night.

Republican leaders are working to resolve lingering disputes among warring factions holding the parcel. Most notably, the Anti-Spending Hawks pushed for steeper cuts, while Blue State lawmakers demanded larger state and local tax breaks.

Called by Trump “a large bill,” the 1,100-page legislation will extend the president’s 2017 tax cuts, increase spending on immigration law enforcement and military, and cut it to Medicaid and clean energy tax credits. This will also increase the debt limit by $4 trillion.

The unusual 1AM Rules Committee hearing sparked criticism from Democrats that the Republicans were trying to push the bill in "the dead of the night."

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, DN.M.

Republicans defended the morning hearing, Rep. Virginia Fox (RN.C.), chairman of the Rules Committee, believes it has a long history of ratifying the bill, "long after most people in the United States go to bed." But starting from midnight, Republicans also have the opportunity to push bills through the house on the same day - ahead of Johnson's self-imposed Memorial Day deadline.

“I believe we will land the plane,” a tired Johnson told reporters Tuesday night between meetings with the Republican Party.

Given their majority, Republicans can only lose three votes on the floor of the House before risking the package collapses. They have lost R-Ky. Rep. Thomas Massie, the only member who opposed the step, citing it as it increased the trillions of dollars to state debt.

Ahead of the Rules Committee hearing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released an analysis that the legislation would negatively affect the lowest income earners and benefit the wealthiest Americans. In particular, the CBO said the bill would reduce household resources in the lowest income score of the lowest income by 4%, while by 2023, the highest income earners with the highest income earners increased by 2%.

Despite this, Republican leaders are still rushing forward. Trump hiked the Capitol on Tuesday, urging House Republicans to unite the bill.

"I think we're going to finish it," Trump said. "I won't lose patience. We've already taken it forward."

Late Tuesday night, Johnson appears to be reaching a deal with a group of Blue State Republicans Solve tough tax problems.

According to four Republican sources, the maximum gain that individuals can deduct from state and local taxes (salt) under the tentative agreement will be as high as $40,000 a year, which is higher than the initial $30,000 proposal rejected by Blue State Republicans. This is a huge increase compared to the $10,000 cap established in Trump's 2017 tax cuts and jobs bill.

Sources say those who are less than $500,000 a year will be eligible for tax breaks. Moreover, caps and income levels will increase by 1% every year over 10 years, when these figures will become the new baseline, which means caps and income levels will drop to their previous levels in 10 years.

At the Capitol meeting, Trump urged pro-salt Republicans to be upset with their demands. But, a Republican source said the full-day negotiations continued in the speaker’s office, with Rep. Elise Stefanik going to the White House Tuesday to help ensure higher salt offers.

However, conservative hardcores are skeptical of the higher salt hats as they have worked to speed up the implementation of Medicaid job requirements and, among other spending cuts, speed up certain clean energy tax credits.

"I think we're actually staying away from the deal because I think the salt hat adds a lot of conservatives," said Andy Harris (R-Md.) during a appearance at Newsmax on Wednesday morning.

"This bill actually got worse overnight," he said. "It couldn't pass today. … It could take a few weeks for us to iron everything."

Even if House Republicans manage to pass the party line plan, there is still a long way to go. Republicans in the Senate vow to change legislation, and then the House needs approval before going to Trump’s table.

Democrats have used Trump legislation as a “Republican tax scam” and “Big Ugly Bill,” warning that it will cut Medicaid and critical food programs while handing tax relief to the rich.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., wrote in a letter to spokesperson and Foxx: "Because of this bill, nearly 14 million Americans will lose health care, millions will pay higher premiums, co-payments and deductibles. Hospitals will be closed, nursing homes will be closed and people will die."

"The bill is the biggest cut in nutritional aid in U.S. history. It sets food apart from the mouths of children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities."

The CBO expects 8.6 million will lose coverage due to legislation. If the Obamacare tax credit expires, Democrats are exaggerating that figure by calculating additional coverage losses, but those tax credits will expire in 2025 under the Lower Inflation Act.