House Republicans are trying to pass President Trump’s big “Beautiful Bill” this week, and they will guide Edward Hopper this week.
Hopper is known for his “Nighthawks,” one of the most iconic paintings in American history. The 1942 painting depicts four people in the middle of the night. A deserted street view commands the foreground. Two men - floral heads wearing fedora - sat on the counter separately, caring for coffee. One of the men hid a cigarette between his index and middle finger. His position is next to a woman with sharp hair and red dress. She seemed to hold the bite of a donut or sandwich and study it well as if it was a rare artifact. She seemed to be arguing whether she should eat it. A young counter - dressed in a white white envelope hat, leaning downwards to look for glassware or dishes hidden below.
This is the dead at night. Everyone is far away and detached. Even the couple (even if they sit side by side) won't look at each other.
Nighthawks, 1942, Oil on Canvas, 84.1 x 152.4 cm (33 1/8 x 60 inches), Chicago Academy of Art. (VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images)
In Nighthawks, everyone seems to be trying to dawn all night.
This is the House of Representatives that the Republicans are experiencing this week.
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The House Budget Committee was called at 10:26 PM Sunday, and on Friday afternoon, the measures to strike stagnate to increase tax cuts and reduce measures. At 10:39 pm ET, the committee approved Bill 17-16 - four House Republicans voted "present."
Representative Jodey Arrington, a Republican from Texas and Chairman of the Center's House Budget Committee, spoke at the House Budget Committee meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg by Getty Images)
The next stop is the House Rules Committee, which is the final parliamentary road station, and then a piece of legislation is stored on the floor.
At 12:31 a.m. ET on Monday, the Rules Committee announced that it would prepare for the floor - a meeting held at 1 a.m. Wednesday. That meeting may last all day Wednesday. Literally. Last week, the Energy and Business team met for 26 hours in a row to prepare for the portion of its budget settlement measures. The committee's methods and means were crowded all night.
House Republicans urged high-tax countries (called salt) to state and local taxes, scheduled at 9 a.m. ET with R-La. House Speaker Mike Johnson held a meeting. The house is likely to debate and even vote on the measure late Thursday, Friday morning or even Friday night.
This is the rolling of Capitol Hill, and there was a lot of legislation at that time. It was very late at night. The meeting was long. Legislators will call different meetings when needed - just to get measures across the finish line.
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The only difference between the Hall of Congress and the Nighthawk now is that coffee pushes the numbers in the painting until dawn. It was 1942. But this is 2025. Edward Hopper knows nothing about Celsius or Red Bull.
It is a practical parliamentary reason why the Budget Committee was so late on Sunday night after stumbled upon Friday afternoon. On Wednesday, the Rules Committee 1 AM MADNESS had a way.
Let's rewind.
The Budget Committee attempts to incorporate various rules from nearly ten House committees into a unified legislative product at noon Friday. The effort was short. Republicans Republicans Republicans voted in total. They pay tribute to the timetable for spending cuts, green energy tax credits, and job requirements for Medicaid personnel.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) meets the House Budget Committee on May 16, 2025 in Washington, DC and Capitol Hill. Budget Committee members met to consider the House Republican settlement bill, which included proposed taxes and spending cuts by U.S. President Donald Trump. The bill faces bipartisan opposition, which five Republican members of the House Budget Committee voted and supported the committee's motion to recess over the weekend. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Four of the five Republican NOEs did object. R-Penn. Rep. Lloyd Smucker voted to veto so he could order a revote. The rules allow members in the winning aspects of the question (in this case Nays) to request a vote later. Smucker supports the program. But he then converts his vote to otherwise be in the winning side. This will increase the possible revoting.
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Jody Arlington, Chairman of the Budget Committee (R-Tex).
The Budget Committee then announced that it would be called at 10 p.m. Sunday.
Here's where things get interesting:
The key here is that the budget committee will do its work by midnight on Friday. After scrolling, the process only consumes 15 or 20 minutes. The Budget Committee approved Plan 17-16, with four Republicans voting “present.”
Rep. Ralph Norman said: "We are excited about what we do."
Rep. Ralph Norman, Rs.C. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
But Norman is still not enough to vote on Sunday night. He voted in the audience.
"There is still a lot to be done to curb the government and control costs and deficits," Norman said on Monday.
But anyway, the measure was withdrawn from the Budget Committee before Sunday’s Witch’s hour. Then there was the announcement from the Rules Commission - after midnight on Monday - a meeting held at about 1 a.m. Wednesday, preparing a "big and beautiful bill" for the floor of the house.
House Rules Committee Republicans decided why the room was crowded at 1 a.m. Wednesday. Let's start with Parliament.
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The Budget Committee ended before midnight on Sunday. The rules allow Democrats to submit their paperwork and opinions after that meeting for two full days. So they have Mondays and Tuesdays all day. The Rules Committee will take an "hour" to announce its official meeting. Therefore, Wednesday's "official" announcement of the Rules Committee meeting will take place after 12:01:01 am ET Wednesday. This triggered a meeting at 1 a.m. Wednesday.
This is another more practical reason.
Republicans have always needed them to get. There is talk about trying to vote on the floor later Wednesday. We will see it. But early rules committee meeting time made this possible.
Second, the Rules Committee meeting may be reviewed throughout Wednesday’s calendar day. The flow of legislators from both sides will be submitted to the Rules Committee for various amendments. This is a protracted process.
Sunday, May 18, 2025, the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC, USA. (Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg by Getty Images)
But due to the same sign, ET meetings at 1 a.m. may reduce attendance. After all, who wants to attend the meeting at 1 a.m. ET and maybe discuss your amendment at 6:30 a.m. ET? You get it.
Once the bill exits the Rules Committee and Republicans try to complete the deal, they expect late-night meetings between Republicans. The House can vote to pass the bill almost any time of the day Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. It might be evening. Even overnight. They will vote when they are ready, regardless of the timetable.
This is a huge amount House Republicans attract for “big and beautiful bills.” Maybe they will vote. Maybe they won't. Maybe they will cut through more spending. Perhaps a salt agreement for state and local taxes will be reached. Maybe not. Maybe the vote appears at 3 pm. But it's more likely to be late at night.
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Just like at Nighthawks, everyone on Capitol Hill is trying to go all night and dawn.