This was a massive victory for Trump.
A massive piece of legislation advancing President Donald Trump’s key policy objectives took a significant step forward Thursday, clearing a critical hurdle and bringing Republicans closer to their goal of passing the bill by May. The bill passed the House Budget Committee on a strict party-line vote of 21 to 16 and is expected to be brought to the full House for a vote later this month.
Despite last-minute negotiations casting doubt on its passage, the bill moved forward. One of its primary features is a $4 trillion increase to raise the debt limit. Additionally, it includes $4.5 trillion to extend the Trump-era 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and other tax cuts for the next decade.
Both House and Senate Republicans are strategically using the budget reconciliation process to push forward a wide range of Trump’s policy priorities. These include enhancing border security and eliminating taxes on overtime and tipped wages. By lowering the threshold for Senate approval from a supermajority to a simple majority, Republicans can pass these measures with only their own votes, bypassing the need for Democratic support—as long as the proposals align with budget-related and fiscal issues.
Conservative fiscal hawks on the House Budget Committee, including members like Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, had pressed for significant spending cuts to offset new spending, especially on Trump’s tax proposals. Arrington and others brokered a deal on an amendment that would link tax cuts to specific spending reductions. The amendment ensures that if Republicans fail to cut at least $2 trillion in other areas, the tax cuts will be reduced by the same amount. On the flip side, if spending cuts exceed $2 trillion, the tax cut allocation will increase accordingly.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who had raised concerns about the original bill, praised the amendment as a commonsense solution. “It’s exactly what we promised to do,” he told Fox News.
While the House cleared this critical step after a delay due to disputes over spending cuts, the road ahead remains challenging. The budget resolution must now go through further deliberations in various committees before being reconciled with the Senate’s version. With Republicans holding a slim majority in both chambers, each step requires careful coordination to prevent any divisions that could derail the legislation. Once a final agreement is reached, the bill will be sent to President Trump for approval.