Conservative Republicans in the House are expressing skepticism about the fate of President Trump’s ambitious bill after it passed in the Senate on Tuesday morning.
Right away, some House conservatives voiced their disapproval of tax and immigration proposals that were adjusted by the Senate before reaching the House. They pointed to the accelerated end of the Green Energy Tax Credit, arguing it contradicts the budget agreement established by Senate GOP leaders and more fiscally conservative members. This conservative pushback could complicate the timeline set by Speaker Mike Johnson and may hinder the progress of passing legislation before Trump’s July 4 deadline.
“The issue is that swamps are swamps,” Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy remarked on Tuesday, referencing the Senate version of the bill. He added, “I believe it violates the House framework.”
“More importantly,” he continued, “when I consider economic growth, income, and spending factors, I’m concerned about the forced savings which just aren’t sufficient.”
Despite these concerns from conservative lawmakers, House GOP leaders are aggressively aiming to pass the president’s domestic policy bill by Friday.
Influential members of the House Rules Committee are currently convening to prepare for the Senate’s revisions to be approved in the House. Although Senate proposals are expected to get through the Rules Committee, they may encounter challenges on the House floor.
With a tight 220-212 majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three votes.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune claimed his discussions helped push the House bill in a more conservative direction, calling for increased Medicaid reforms and specific green energy subsidies.
After the Senate vote on Thursday, Thune expressed confidence: “Despite the narrow margin [in the House] and the hurdles the speaker faces, I believe we’ve delivered a strong product.” He feels that they’ve improved upon what was sent from the House.
House GOP leadership is intent on finalizing the bill without changes before the July 4 deadline. Reportedly, Johnson is not pleased with the modifications the Senate made. The president, in a social media post after the Senate votes, urged House Republicans to rally behind his legislative agenda and expedite its delivery to his desk.
“We can achieve this now, but it’s crucial for the House GOP to come together and send this bill to my desk,” Trump stated. He also emphasized the importance of acting before the holiday break.
Prominent White House officials support this perspective, insisting no revisions to the bill are necessary and that it must clear the House by July 4.
Officials indicated they hope the Senate’s changes will receive favorable reviews from the House Rules Panel, affirming that they’ve already forwarded the president’s bill to the conference committee while pushing back against anticipated Democratic opposition.
Republicans are utilizing a budget reconciliation process to navigate past Democratic resistance and aim to pass GOP-backed laws with a simple majority.
Concerns among conservative House members regarding the Senate bill were evident prior to its passage after more than a day of discussions on Tuesday.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) had previously voiced their discontent with the draft Senate bill. Representative Ralph Norman from South Carolina noted possible outcomes where the Senate might increase deficit spending or eliminate the Green Energy Tax Credit.
A member of the HFC and the House Rules Panel, Norman had predicted a different outcome in the House regarding the president’s initial “big, beautiful” bill, stating, “This situation is unlike anything we’ve faced before.”
