House Republicans have advanced a major tax cut bill, with a 219-213 vote clearing a procedural hurdle, bringing the legislation closer to President Donald Trump’s desk. The vote comes after intense negotiations and a late-night session, with Speaker Mike Johnson ensuring the bill aligns with the Republican agenda. The bill, which includes Senate-added provisions, faces further debate before it reaches Trump for final approval.
The discord within the House GOP was centered on the changes made by the Senate to the megabill, which first passed the House in May. Senators added more tax cuts and toughened some changes to safety-net programs, creating a two-front challenge for House whips. The negotiations between GOP leadership and holdouts began early Wednesday morning and stretched overnight, as fiscal hawks were incensed about the budget deficits introduced by the Senate-passed bill.
The breakthrough came after hours of meetings between GOP leaders and holdouts, exploring potential executive actions or promises to assuage hard-line fiscal hawks. The process was accelerated by a Truth Social post from Trump, minutes after members of the House Freedom Caucus indicated they did not want to vote Wednesday night. In the post, Trump called for a vote, essentially daring the Freedom Caucus holdouts to vote against the legislation, which is the cornerstone of his agenda.
Despite the president’s push, the vote required further negotiations, as Trump later expressed frustration, stating,