House GOP eyes tax bill vote this week as disagreements persist
Washington — House Republicans are gearing up for a crucial vote this week on President Trump’s second term agenda, which encompasses tax cuts, border security, and defense priorities. However, divisions within the GOP conference continue to pose challenges, despite the legislation moving out of committee, casting doubts on its passage.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” House Speaker Mike Johnson stated during a press briefing on Sunday. “But I am optimistic that through thoughtful and productive discussions in the coming days, we will finalize the legislation and get it passed.”
Following the advancement of the final three committees’ portions of the comprehensive legislative package last week, a group of conservative hardliners on the House Budget Committee initially blocked the package from progressing on Friday. This setback led to weekend negotiations with the holdouts, who eventually allowed the legislation to move forward on Sunday.
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington described this as a “critical step,” acknowledging ongoing deliberations and remaining disagreements on issues such as the state and local tax deduction cap (SALT) and the timeline for implementing Medicaid work requirements. Nevertheless, Arrington expressed confidence in the progress made, with the vote to advance the legislation on Sunday signaling a resolution to these issues.
Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina, two of the conservative holdouts, welcomed a modification to expedite the implementation of Medicaid work requirements, a change conservatives had advocated for. However, Roy emphasized on social media that “the bill still requires further adjustments,” citing concerns about clean energy subsidies and federal Medicaid payment cuts.
Speaker Johnson indicated that he and the conservative faction had reached consensus on “minor modifications” over the weekend. He is navigating a delicate balance between hardliners pushing for deeper cuts and moderates hesitant to reduce Medicaid funding. Additionally, Republicans representing blue states have threatened to withhold their support unless their demands, particularly regarding SALT, are addressed.
Johnson emphasized the importance of building consensus among different GOP caucuses, highlighting ongoing discussions to finalize the legislation. “This has been a bottom-up, consensus-building process, and we are nearing completion,” he stated.
The legislation is scheduled for consideration by the House Rules Committee on Wednesday at 1 a.m., where any necessary adjustments will be made. However, Roy and Norman, who also serve on the Rules Committee, could pose a final obstacle before the full House vote. If the package clears the Rules Committee, a vote is expected on Thursday before lawmakers depart for the Memorial Day recess.
President Trump is anticipated to exert pressure on Republicans to ensure the bill’s passage, as he did on social media last Friday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the urgency of Republicans uniting behind the legislation to advance the President’s agenda.
While the House may face challenges in passing the bill, resistance is also anticipated in the Senate, where some Republicans have signaled intentions to make modifications. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that the Senate would seek to provide input on the legislation.
As the July 4 deadline looms for getting the package to the President’s desk, the inclusion of a debt limit increase has added urgency to the process. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned of potential financial consequences if the debt limit is not addressed promptly.
“We must ensure this legislation reaches the President’s desk by Independence Day,” Johnson affirmed. “I am confident that we can achieve this goal.”
