May 16, 2025 - Politics & Policy

House GOP opposition torpedoes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

Kathleen Hunter

House Budget chairman Jodey Arrington speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on March 27. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The House Budget Committee rejected President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" Friday after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team were unable to bring several Republican opponents on board with the measure.

Why it matters: It's a major setback for Johnson and President Trump on the marquee tax and spending cut legislation, which the speaker said he wants to pass by Memorial Day.

The panel rejected the bill in a 16-21 vote.

Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ralph Norman, Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and Josh Brecheen (Okla.) joined all of the panel's Democrats in voting against the measure.
Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) changed his vote from "yes" to "no" after it was clear there were not enough votes to prevail. He said he did so to preserve the panel's ability to reconsider the measure.
'I fully support the One Big Beautiful Bill," he said in a post on X.

Zoom in: One of the stickiest sticking points has been the GOP's massive Medicaid overhaul, with conservatives and moderates pulling in opposite directions on proposed changes.

Even if they get the package through, Senate Republicans will be waiting with their own fixes, Axios Pro's Peter Sullivan and Victoria Knight report.

Johnson also has been trying to close a deal with blue state Republicans for a SALT compromise.

Zoom out: Ahead of the vote, Trump urged Republicans to support the measure.

"Republicans MUST UNITE behind, "THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!", he posted to his Truth Social account.
"We don't need "GRANDSTANDERS" in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!," he added.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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House GOP opposition torpedoes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

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