House Republicans seem to be bridging their internal divisions, possibly at the cost of President Donald Trump’s significant legislative push, as they move toward a yes or no vote in the early hours of Thursday.
After closed-door meetings on Capitol Hill and at the White House, lawmakers managed to clear the final procedural obstacles necessary to begin debate on the bill, passing a vote of 219-213 just after 3:30 AM.
Following this, discussions continued, with a final vote anticipated around 5:30 AM.
Previous procedural voting took about seven hours on Wednesday, allowing Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson to rally support for the president’s flagship bill.
Johnson expressed optimism on Wednesday night, indicating lawmakers had a “long and productive day” ahead to tackle the issue.
Post-vote, he acknowledged Trump for keeping the holdouts engaged until the early morning hours.
Johnson remarked, “No president was more active or involved,” while addressing reporters.
The Senate already approved the measure. According to non-partisan analysts, this decision, made by a razor-thin margin on Tuesday, could add $3.4 trillion to the already ballooning debt of $36.2 trillion over the next decade, following intense debate regarding the bill’s high cost and potential cuts to Medicaid services.
The Democrats united in opposition
With a slim majority of 220-212, Republicans can’t afford to lose more than three votes to pass the final bill.
Democrats are staunchly against the bill, asserting that tax credits will primarily benefit the affluent while diminishing crucial services for low- and middle-income Americans.
Estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office suggest approximately 12 million individuals might lose health insurance due to the bill.
During floor debate, Democrat Representative Jim McGovern characterized the legislation as “devastating,” asserting that “it’s not a policy, it’s a punishment.”
While Congressional Republicans have had difficulty unifying in recent times, since regaining control of the White House in January, they seem to have not overlooked Trump.
Modifications made in the House would necessitate a separate Senate vote, complicating their chances of meeting the July 4th deadline.
The legislation incorporates many of Trump’s top priorities, including tax cuts and immigration enforcement policies.
The bill also aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, reduce funding for health and food safety programs, and bolster immigration enforcement, while offering little support for renewable energy initiatives.
Additionally, it proposes a $5 trillion increase in the national debt ceiling, an issue lawmakers will need to address soon to avoid a potentially disastrous default.
Concerns regarding Medicaid cuts have emerged among some Republicans, prompting calls for increased funding for rural hospitals.
