The House Budget Committee pushed forward President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act in a rare late-night session, marking a significant step toward enacting his legislative priorities. The vote, held at 10 p.m. on Sunday, narrowly passed 17-16, with four Republican holdouts opting to vote “present” rather than outright rejecting the bill. Their shift allowed the measure to advance, despite lingering concerns over spending cuts and policy changes.
The bill, spanning 1,116 pages and valued at approximately $7 trillion, aims to extend Trump’s tax cuts, bolster border security funding, and impose stricter Medicaid work requirements. While the legislation cleared the committee, key details remain undisclosed, fueling speculation about last-minute modifications. Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that further refinements would be made before the bill reaches the House floor, but he declined to specify what those changes entail.
The secrecy surrounding these adjustments raises serious questions. Lawmakers and the public alike are left wondering what compromises were struck behind closed doors. Historically, rushed budget approvals have led to unintended consequences, and this bill’s sheer size makes it difficult to assess its full impact without transparency.
The bill’s passage follows a tense weekend of negotiations. On Friday, the same committee failed to advance the measure due to opposition from fiscal conservatives, who argued that the proposed cuts to Medicaid and green energy subsidies were insufficient. By Sunday night, those same lawmakers shifted their stance, allowing the bill to proceed without fully endorsing its contents.
Trump, fresh off a diplomatic trip to the Middle East, is expected to ramp up efforts to secure Republican support ahead of the final House vote. His influence remains a driving force behind the bill’s momentum, but internal party divisions could still derail its progress.
Sources:
https://thehill.com/newsletters/morning-report/5307060-morning-report-a-big-beautiful-budget-redo