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WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans postponed a crucial vote on their budget framework late Wednesday, unable to garner support from conservative members of the party who expressed significant concerns regarding the proposal’s tax breaks despite minimal spending cuts.
This decision came despite President Donald Trump’s public push for the bill, which is integral to his agenda centered on tax reductions and a more streamlined federal government.
Speaker Mike Johnson found himself confronted with a divide within the party, as conservative Republicans challenged the wisdom of a plan that included trillions in tax breaks without corresponding cuts to spending.
Johnson, appearing determined, commented, “Don’t doubt us,” after an intense hour-long meeting with GOP lawmakers, emphasizing a need for patience.
“Just give us a little space to do our work,” he added.
The proposed framework aims to advance the Republicans’ budget plan before the upcoming congressional spring break, a deadline set by Johnson that loomed large.
Failure to secure a vote on the proposal—especially amid the turmoil surrounding Trump’s trade wars—would represent a significant blow to the Republican agenda in Washington.
During a recent fundraising event, President Trump encouraged Republicans to push through the vote, stating, “Stop grandstanding!” and urging them to “Close your eyes and get there.”
However, as the day progressed, uncertainties regarding the vote’s outcome began to surface.
At least a dozen conservative Republicans opposed the plan, leading some, including prominent members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, to engage Senate GOP leaders in discussions about necessary deeper cuts.
As darkness fell, discussions continued, with Johnson pulling a group of Republicans into a private meeting off the House floor to strategize further.
The Speaker indicated he had a brief conversation with Trump during this time, saying, “This is part of the process,” before expressing optimism about the eventual outcome.
“I’m very optimistic about the outcome of this, this ‘one big, beautiful bill,’” Johnson asserted.
Despite his optimism, conservative House members voiced serious reservations about the Senate GOP’s framework, which they felt did not sufficiently address spending cuts necessary to mitigate growing deficits.
“The Math Does Not Add Up,” tweeted Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who publicly stated he would not support the proposed framework.
Leading the dissent, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., chair of the Freedom Caucus, organized a meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Senate Republicans to express their concerns about the budget’s proposed cuts.
Emerging from the meeting, GOP Whip Sen. John Barrasso reported a positive discussion, highlighting a collective commitment among House and Senate Republicans to pursue significant savings for taxpayers.
The voting process was anticipated to be an incremental step in a lengthy series of negotiations, with both chambers working to resolve any differences before final approval would occur later in the spring or summer.
While Democrats in the minority lack sufficient votes to block the proposed budget package, they have raised alarms over its potential impact.
Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Boyle, the ranking Democrat on the budget committee, articulated concern that the GOP’s budget cuts could severely harm Medicaid, putting millions of Americans’ health care at risk.
“This will have a devastating impact on my district, my state — and all 435 congressional districts throughout our land,” Boyle warned.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York described the proposed Republican budget as reckless and callous, claiming that it prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of everyday Americans.
“We’re here to make it clear,” Jeffries stated emphatically.
“Hands off everyday Americans struggling to make ends meet.”
The GOP budget framework is aimed at preserving tax cuts initially approved in 2017 during Trump’s first term, while also potentially introducing new tax cuts promised on the campaign trail.
Included in these proposals is a plan to eliminate taxes on tipped wages, Social Security income, and others, significantly inflating the overall price tag to approximately $7 trillion over the next decade.
Additionally, the budget provides for increases for Trump’s mass deportation efforts, allocated $175 billion, alongside equal military spending for the Defense Department.
To offset these expenses, the plan proposes steep cuts to domestic programs, including health care, amounting to $2 trillion, although some GOP senators have indicated they are hesitant to agree to such drastic measures.
In a bid to balance costs, the Senate’s approach employs an unconventional accounting method which does not include the retention of 2017 tax cuts—totaling around $4.5 trillion—in calculations of new spending, further frustrating House conservatives.
During a recent weekend session, two Republican senators voted against their party’s package: Maine’s Susan Collins objected to proposed Medicaid cuts, while Kentucky’s Rand Paul criticized the budget’s reliance on questionable calculations that would exacerbate national debt.
The budget proposal also seeks to elevate the debt limit in order to facilitate added borrowing to cover the government’s expenses.
As the national debt continues to reach alarming levels, now at $36 trillion, the Treasury Department has projected a funds shortage by August.
Nevertheless, both chambers must reconcile their differing approaches regarding the debt ceiling.
The House GOP proposal increases the debt limit by $4 trillion, while the Senate’s version raises it by $5 trillion, intending to avoid revisiting this contentious issue until after the fall 2026 midterm elections.
Amidst ongoing tensions from Trump’s trade conflicts, House Republicans included provisions in the procedural vote aimed at preventing disapproval of Trump’s tariffs, complicating the overall fiscal strategy.
