The Republican-controlled U.S. House on Thursday advanced President Donald Trump‘s comprehensive tax and spending megabill by a narrow 219-213 vote, marking a critical legislative victory after internal GOP divisions nearly derailed the measure.
What Happened: The procedural vote to begin final debate represents a significant win for Republican leadership seeking to deliver on Trump’s second-term policy agenda ahead of his self-imposed July 4 deadline, reported CNBC. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) spent hours corralling his razor-thin majority after several Republican members initially refused to support the measure.
The 887-page legislation combines $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years with substantial spending reductions targeting federal health and nutrition programs. The package extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act while implementing $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts and $295 billion in reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over a decade.
Former President Barack Obama warned on Wednesday that “more than 16 million Americans are at risk of losing their health care” due to proposed Medicaid funding cuts and expanded work requirements.
Why It Matters: The House received the revised bill from the Senate late Tuesday after Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in the upper chamber.
Trump criticized Republican holdouts on social media, posting late Wednesday that delays were “COSTING YOU VOTES!!!” and calling the measure “the Largest Tax Cuts in History.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) publicly supported the bill, calling it “the One Big Beautiful Bill” and emphasizing its border security provisions.
The legislation allocates $350 billion for defense and immigration enforcement while expanding work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving federal assistance. Recipients must log 80 hours monthly of work, study, or volunteering to maintain Medicaid coverage.
Following Thursday’s procedural vote, the House will conduct final passage voting before sending the measure to Trump’s desk for signature into law.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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