Legislation setting the stage for Republicans to pass a broad swath of President Donald Trump’s agenda survived an important hurdle on Wednesday afternoon.House GOP lawmakers voted to allow for debate on the legislation, known as a “rule vote,” a framework that serves as one of the first steps in the budget reconciliation process.It’s still unclear whether House Republicans have enough support to pass the legislation itself, though GOP leaders have indicated they’re moving full steam ahead in a matter of hours.”I think we can get this job done. I understand the holdouts. I mean, their concerns are real. They really want to have true budget cuts and to change the debt trajectory that the country is on,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters ahead of the first vote..HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR URGES JOHNSON TO CHANGE COURSE ON SENATE VERSION OF TRUMP BUDGET BILL President Donald Trump walks from the Oval Office to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House en route to Florida, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)Trump has directed Republicans to work on “one big, beautiful bill” to advance his agenda on border security, defense, energy and taxes.Such a measure is largely only possible via the budget reconciliation process. Traditionally used when one party controls all three branches of government, reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage of certain fiscal measures from 60 votes to 51. As a result, it has been used to pass broad policy changes in one or two massive pieces of legislation.Rule votes are traditionally not indicators of a bill’s final passage, and they generally fall along party lines. Several Republicans who voted to allow debate on the measure have said they will still oppose its final passage.Passing frameworks in the House and Senate, which largely only include numbers indicating increases or decreases in funding, allows each chamber’s committees to then craft policy in line with those numbers under their specific jurisdictions. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Getty Images )The House passed its own version of the reconciliation framework earlier this year, while the Senate passed an amended version last week. House GOP leaders now believe that voting on the Senate’s plan will allow Republicans to enter the next step of crafting policy.But fiscal hawks have raised concerns about the differences in minimum mandatory spending cuts, which they hope will offset the cost of new federal investments and start a path to reducing the deficit.The Senate’s version calls for at least $4 billion in spending cuts, while the House baseline begins at $1.5 trillion – a significant gap.Conservatives have demanded extra guarantees from the Senate GOP that it is committed to pursuing deeper spending cuts in line with the House package.”They don’t have a plan that I’ve seen. So until I see that, I’m a no,” Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital. SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, speaks during a news conference following the Senate Republican policy luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington on March 11, 2025 (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTrump himself worked to persuade holdouts both in a smaller-scale White House meeting on Tuesday and in public remarks at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).He also fired off multiple Truth Social posts pushing House Republicans to support the measure, even as conservatives argue it would not go far enough in fulfilling Trump’s agenda.”Republicans, it is more important now, than ever, that we pass THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. The USA will Soar like never before!!!” one of the posts read. Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
Trump agenda survives key House hurdle as GOP rebels threaten to defect
