The House is preparing for a crucial vote on Tuesday on a budget proposal that would implement trillions of dollars in spending reductions and tax cuts central to President Trump’s agenda. However, the outcome remains uncertain as Speaker Mike Johnson continues efforts to secure support from Republican members who remain unsatisfied with the plan.
The measure was advanced Monday night by the House Rules Committee, and Johnson had initially hoped to bring it to the floor on Tuesday. However, as of late Monday, he had not yet secured enough Republican votes to ensure its passage.
“We’ll see about the timing, but it’ll happen this week,” Johnson told reporters.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has been working urgently to advance the budget resolution, a critical step in the reconciliation process that Republicans plan to use to push forward Trump’s priorities on border security, energy policy, and tax reform. After delays caused by internal party disputes, Senate Republicans introduced a competing budget plan earlier this month. However, Johnson secured a significant political win last week when Trump endorsed the House’s version of the proposal.
Despite this, doubts remain about whether Johnson and his leadership team can unify House Republicans around the budget resolution. On Monday, he acknowledged the difficulty of the task.
“We’re going to get everybody there. This is a prayer request. Just pray this through for us, because it is very high stakes, and everybody knows that,” Johnson said at an Americans for Prosperity forum.
With the House Republican majority standing at 218-215, Johnson can afford to lose only one vote if all members are present and voting. He told reporters Monday that he had spoken with Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, a known holdout, and had left a voicemail for Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky, another key vote.
That evening, Massie posted on X, “If the Republican budget passes, the deficit gets worse, not better.” Elon Musk responded, “That sounds bad.”
If the Republican budget passes, the deficit gets worse, not better.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 24, 2025
Spartz, who had already pledged to oppose the budget bill, joined the conversation, replying to Massie and Musk: “The situation is much worse than it sounds @RepThomasMassie and @elonmusk—we are going to accumulate $24T of additional debt on top of the $36T we already have … reaching $60 TRILLION!”
Why I am a NO on the current version of the house budget instructions – I have a TRILLION DOLLAR QUESTION – where is the money – $1T?
Interesting FACT: roughly 85% of spending is not ever even looked at by Congress – convenient if you would like to hide waste, fraud and abuse.… https://t.co/PeoSmsXvkm
— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) February 23, 2025
Rep. Tim Burchett also told reporters Monday night that he is a “no” vote “right now” on the resolution, citing concerns over spending.
Democratic Opposition and Budget Details
House Democrats are unified in their opposition to the measure. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote a letter to his caucus on Monday urging full attendance for the vote, stating, “It’s imperative that we are present with maximum attendance.”
Jeffries, a New York Democrat, instructed lawmakers to gather on the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon to express their opposition to what he described as a “budget scheme that betrays hardworking American families.”
The House GOP budget proposal includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and calls for at least $1.5 trillion in spending reductions while raising the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. A provision in the resolution states that if House committees fail to identify at least $2 trillion in spending cuts, tax cuts would be reduced through an amendment designed to appease conservative lawmakers.
The proposal tasks relevant committees with identifying billions of dollars in spending reductions, some of which could impact Medicaid. This aspect of the plan has raised concerns among certain Republican lawmakers, particularly those representing swing districts.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, one of the Republicans apprehensive about Medicaid cuts, met with Johnson on Monday. She later stated that he assured her Medicaid recipients would not be removed from the program “unless they are not fulfilling the work requirements, and they’re not citizens.”
Despite these assurances, several House Republicans remain undecided ahead of the potential vote.
Senate’s Alternative Budget Plan
The developments in the House come after the Senate passed its own budget resolution late last week while the House was in recess. Since Trump endorsed the House version, Senate Republicans have positioned their budget plan as an alternative.
The Senate’s proposal divides the reconciliation process into two bills. The first would prioritize immediate funding for border security and defense, while the second would address tax policy. Additionally, Senate Republicans are pushing for tax cuts to be made permanent—something the House version does not currently include.
As the House moves toward its vote, Johnson faces a critical test in rallying his party to advance Trump’s economic and fiscal agenda.
