Home passes funds decision after dramatic vote
The Home voted Tuesday to undertake a funds decision that highlights President Trump’s priorities on the border, protection, power and taxes. The vote was 217-215, with all Democrats opposed.
WASHINGTON – Home Republicans on Tuesday narrowly sent a GOP budget blueprint for passage, a step towards delivering President Donald Trump’s “massive, lovely invoice” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts.
However regardless of claims on social media that it included Trump’s campaign pledges to cut taxes on overtime and tips, the framework that handed on Tuesday is simply a funds decision meant to information Congress on associated laws for the yr. It doesn’t present funding for federal packages or change tax legislation.
Did no tax on time beyond regulation cross?
The backstory:
Trump desires the Republicans who management Congress to approve an enormous invoice that might lengthen tax breaks, which he secured throughout his first time period however are expiring later this yr, whereas additionally chopping spending on federal packages and companies. Throughout his marketing campaign, he additionally pledged to finish taxes on time beyond regulation pay, in addition to on different issues like suggestions and Social Safety.
Dig deeper:
The funds decision vote was 217-215. All Democrats voted in opposition to the measure, together with lone Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who was involved about its impact on the nationwide deficit. Its passage is essential to kickstarting the entire funds course of, however the subsequent steps will probably be lengthy and cumbersome earlier than something – together with no taxes on time beyond regulation – can turn into legislation.
US Home Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, heart, speaks to members of the media as he walks to his workplace on the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Feb. 25, 2025. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg through Getty Photos
The opposite facet:
Democrats throughout a day debate referred to the package deal as a “betrayal” to Individuals, a “blueprint for American decline” and easily a “Republican rip-off.” They criticized potential cuts to Medicaid and different social packages.
In the meantime, a number of Republican lawmakers have additionally expressed fear that the scope of the cuts being eyed — notably some $880 billion over the last decade to the committee that handles well being care spending, together with Medicaid, or $230 billion to the agriculture committee that funds meals stamps — will probably be too dangerous to their constituents again residence.
GOP leaders insist Medicaid is just not particularly listed within the preliminary 60-page funds framework, which is true. Home Speaker Mike Johnson and his management group additionally advised lawmakers they might have loads of time to debate the main points as they form the ultimate package deal.
What’s subsequent:
The following step towards Trump’s funds is weeks of committee hearings to draft the main points and ship the Home model to the Senate, the place Republicans handed their very own scaled-back model. And extra massive votes are forward, together with an unrelated deal to forestall a authorities shutdown when federal funding expires March 14. These talks are additionally underway.
The Supply: This story was reported utilizing info shared by the Congressional Funds Workplace, the U.S. Home of Representatives, and lawmakers. It was reported from Cincinnati, and the Related Press and FOX Information contributed.
