What’s next for the Big Beautiful Bill as it heads back to the House
On Wednesday morning, a resolution outlining debate rules for the bill narrowly passed the House Rules Committee, with Republicans Chip Roy and Ralph Norman voting against it.
House Republicans are racing to pass the “Big Beautiful Bill” after it narrowly cleared the Senate, in an effort to meet President Donald Trump’s demand that it be finalized by the Fourth of July.
The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday night in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote in favor. It now heads back to the House, where GOP leadership is pushing for a swift final vote without changes.
However, some House Republicans are hesitant to approve the Senate version less than 24 hours after its passage. The legislation has sparked divisions within the party, with concerns ranging from Medicaid cuts to the bill’s impact on long-term fiscal goals.
On Wednesday morning, a resolution outlining debate rules for the bill narrowly passed the House Rules Committee, with Republicans Chip Roy and Ralph Norman voting against it. House Speaker Mike Johnson is now under pressure to unify the GOP caucus and drive the bill to the president’s desk. Several Republican lawmakers were seen heading to the White House on Wednesday to raise concerns directly with President Trump.
House Republicans have delayed the procedural vote over concerns regarding the bill. If the procedural vote were to pass, the House would move on to the vote that would allow the bill to come to the floor, with the final passage being voted on later in the day.
The legislation includes approximately $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over ten years, according to the Associated Press. It extends key tax breaks from Trump’s first term and introduces new ones, including campaign promises such as exemptions for tips and overtime pay. The bill also includes about $350 billion in spending for defense and immigration enforcement.
On Tuesday, Trump urged Republicans to support the measure, writing on social media, “We can have all of this right now, but only if the House GOP UNITES, ignores its occasional ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ (You know who you are!), and does the right thing, which is sending this Bill to my desk.”
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would add roughly $3.3 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade. One of the most vocal critics has been Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a fiscal conservative who opposes the bill’s size and lack of spending cuts. Massie confirmed on X Wednesday that there are “probably 10 NO’s at the moment” among House Republicans. The GOP has a narrow 220-212 majority in the House.
Trump has publicly turned up the pressure on Massie, threatening to endorse a primary challenger if he doesn’t support the bill. Trump issued a similar threat to Senator Thom Tillis, who then announced he would not seek re-election after refusing to back the bill.
“He’s going to have an opponent,” Trump told reporters Tuesday of Massie. “He’s going to have a big opponent, a good opponent, who’s going to win. A poll just came out, and it showed anybody I endorse against Massie, Massie loses by 25 points. So he’s he’s gonna be history I think.”