House Republicans on Thursday adopted the Senate’s budget framework that will be used to enact key parts of President Donald J. Trump’s legislative agenda, getting the blueprint over the finish line after a last-minute scramble to win over conservatives who had spent days railing against the measure. The largely party line 216-214 vote marks a big win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who has pushed an aggressive timeline to advance President Trump’s domestic policy priorities, and President Trump, who endorsed the legislation and lobbied those on the right flank to get on board. About a dozen House conservatives ultimately flipped their opposition after receiving assurances from leaders that the Senate would pursue $1.5 trillion in savings, at a minimum, and only two Republicans, Representatives Thomas Massie (Kentucky) and Victoria Spartz (Indiana) voted against the measure. The successful vote puts a bookend on the first phase of the budget reconciliation process, which Republicans are hoping to use to advance President Trump’s domestic policy priorities. The process allows the Senate to bypass Democratic buy-in by working around the 60-vote filibuster. The initial part of the procedure requires both chambers adopting a resolution, which acts as instructions for the rest of the process. Now, however, the even tougher part begins. Republicans in both chambers must craft a package that is in line with the levels laid out in the budget resolution and make decisions on a number of hot-button issues like spending cuts, how long the tax cuts are extended for and the cap on the state-and-local-tax deduction, among other details. The House and Senate worked on separate blueprints earlier this year but more recently reached a compromise resolution, which the Senate adopted early Saturday morning. Speaker Johnson has been pushing an aggressive timeline for getting a bill to President Trump’s desk, hoping to do so by Memorial Day underscoring a looming deadline to raise the debt limit, which the Congressional Budget Office said could come in August or September. As the Senate and House enter the two week Easter recess today, committee chairs in both chambers will begin the process of negotiating a final package.
Both the House and Senate are now in recess for the Easter holiday, with both chambers reconvening on Monday, April 28th at which time the Senate will take up a motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #80 David Perdue to be Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Also on tap that week are: Executive Calendar #77, Warren Stephens, of Arkansas, to be Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Executive Calendar #78, Thomas Barrack, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey and Executive Calendar #79, Tilman Fertitta, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Italian Republic, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of San Marino.
