by Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Stalls in House Committee as GOP Lawmakers Break Ranks
Former President Donald Trump’s much-hyped “big, beautiful bill” hit a major roadblock Friday after it failed to pass the House Budget Committee — a serious setback for House Republican leaders who had hoped to bring it to a full vote next week.
The bill was blocked after four Republican members — Reps. Chip Roy (TX), Josh Brecheen (OK), Andrew Clyde (GA), and Ralph Norman (SC) — voted against it. A fifth Republican, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA), initially supported the bill but later changed his vote to “no” in a procedural move that allows the legislation to be reconsidered. Smucker remained optimistic, telling reporters he believed the bill would ultimately pass.
Committee Chairman Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX) has scheduled another vote for Sunday night at 10 p.m. to try again.
What’s in the Bill?
The bill is a massive package pieced together from 11 different House committees. It touches on a wide range of issues aligned with Trump’s priorities — including immigration, border security, taxes, energy policy, national defense, and increasing the debt ceiling.
Tensions High Behind the Scenes
Emotions were already running high as lawmakers gathered at the Cannon House Office Building. Reporters were surprised to see Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) show up unexpectedly after staying home to be with his wife and newborn. His appearance gave GOP leaders some breathing room, allowing them to lose two Republican votes instead of just one and still move the bill forward.
But that wasn’t enough.
Before the meeting officially began, Roy, Norman, Clyde, and Brecheen left the room quietly — signaling trouble. When they returned, they voiced strong objections to the bill during opening remarks.
Their biggest concern? Key provisions they believe are being delayed too long. Specifically, they’re unhappy that changes to Medicaid wouldn’t take effect until 2029, and that green energy subsidies from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act wouldn’t be repealed immediately.
“Only in Washington do we think everything will magically work out five years from now,” Roy said during the debate. “We need to change course — and yes, that means dealing with Medicaid now.”
Norman even suggested pausing the meeting to address these issues privately. “If they call for a vote right now, it’s not going to end well,” he warned.
Shortly afterward, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) spoke to reporters, saying GOP leadership was actively working with the holdouts and trying to get answers from the Trump team to address their concerns.
“We were making progress,” Roy later posted on X (formerly Twitter). “But the vote was called before the issues were resolved, so I voted no. I’m staying in Washington this weekend to fix it.”
He doubled down on his demands: “Medicaid work requirements must begin now — not in 2029. And the Green New Scam must be fully repealed, as President Trump called for.”
Trump Weighs In — From Afar
Earlier in the day, Trump posted on Truth Social, calling the bill’s opponents “grandstanders” and urging Republicans to rally behind it. But his message didn’t seem to sway the dissenters. Notably, Trump wasn’t in D.C. — he was returning from a diplomatic trip to the Middle East.
Republicans are trying to pass Trump’s agenda using a process known as budget reconciliation. This allows legislation involving taxes, spending, or the national debt to bypass the usual 60-vote requirement in the Senate — needing only a simple majority.
What’s Next?
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said he wants the House to pass the bill by Memorial Day, with hopes of getting it to Trump’s desk by the Fourth of July. That timeline could still work — if Budget Committee Republicans can agree on a revised version by Monday.
If the bill advances, it will move to the House Rules Committee for potential changes before heading to the full House floor for a vote.
However, Republican senators have already voiced concerns and are pushing for changes of their own. This means negotiations between the House and Senate will likely continue before the bill becomes law.
The four Republicans who blocked the bill are part of the House Freedom Caucus, which said its members plan to remain in Washington over the weekend to continue working on the legislation.
“We’re still negotiating and making progress,” a Freedom Caucus spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. “We’re not leaving yet.”
