Today is a big day for the future of President Trump’s agenda. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is desperately hoping to pass the budget resolution today despite major pushback from Republicans.
Reminder: The budget resolution is essentially a placeholder bill to get the ball rolling.
Is the vote actually happening today: “There may be a vote tonight. There may not be,” Johnson told reporters this morning. “Stay tuned.” 🤔
Where the votes stand:
- No: Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio)
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No: Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.)
- No: Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.)
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No: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)
On the fence: Several more have signaled resistance behind the scenes, The Hill reports.
^ Reminder: If more than one of these Republicans votes “no,” the bill fails.
The reasons for pushback:
- On the right: Some right-wing conservatives worry about the deficit and debt in passing this massive package.
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In the middle: Some GOP moderates are worried about potential cuts to social safety net programs (like Medicaid).
- On the left: Democrats oppose Trump’s agenda and are expected to vote “no” in unison.
This is a major test for Johnson: Johnson has been handed a tough set of circumstances. He has paper-thin margins that have been temporarily worsened by open seats for Republicans who left to join the Trump administration. He’s mostly been able to corral a caucus of strong personalities and competing priorities, but this is his biggest test yet.
Johnson literally asked for prayers in trying to pass this bill.
Has Trump been helping corral Republicans?: Not really … Trump has largely stayed out of the debate. Last week, he made headlines by endorsing the House’s plan over the Senate’s competing strategy. Keep an eye out to see if Trump steps in at any point.
🗨️ Follow today’s live blog for the developments
