In recent days, the GOP’s megabill has faced increasing scrutiny and resistance within the House Rules Committee, raising questions about its fate before the July 4 deadline. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a prominent figure in the party’s ultraconservative wing, has become a vocal critic of the bill’s chances of passage. Speaking before the committee’s critical meeting to prepare the legislation for a final vote, Roy warned that the odds of House approval have ‘gone from hell of a lot lower’ than they were just 48 hours ago. This sharp decline in confidence comes as the Senate has made significant changes to the bill, prompting concerns among key Republican lawmakers about its fiscal viability. Roy also took issue with White House officials, including Budget Director Russ Vought and Vice President JD Vance, who have voiced public doubts about the bill’s budgetary soundness. He dismissed their criticisms as ‘garbage,’ emphasizing that the Senate bill doesn’t adhere to the budget framework that House conservatives had previously negotiated earlier this year. Roy explicitly stated that the bill’s failure to meet these criteria is evident, especially when interest costs are factored in.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), another member of the Rules Committee, has also voiced opposition to the bill’s advancement. The growing resistance from committee members has raised concerns about whether Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been pushing for the bill’s passage, can secure the necessary support to move forward. With reports that a third Republican member may also balk at moving the bill out of the Rules Committee, the path to a House floor vote is becoming increasingly uncertain. This tension within the GOP leadership underscores the deepening divisions among Republican lawmakers regarding the megabill’s fiscal and policy implications. As the deadline for passage approaches, the question remains whether the party can muster enough support to pass the legislation or if the bill will ultimately fail due to internal disagreements.