President Donald Trump helped get House Republicans' budget bill over the line. (Getty Images)
More than a dozen House conservatives balked last night, blocking Republicans from even voting on the blueprint.
They spoke with House GOP leaders for more than an hour. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also spoke with President Trump. Some conservatives met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate committee chairs.
The holdouts want more assurances that the Senate will cut more spending than they greenlighted in their revamped budget early last Saturday morning.
What would unlock the votes today? Either an informal promise from the Senate to cut more. Or, the House could alter the Senate package and force the Senate to sync with the House.
MIKE JOHNSON PUNTS HOUSE VOTE ON TRUMP TAX AGENDA AFTER GOP REBELLION THREATENED DEFEAT
House Speaker Mike Johnson leads a news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington on Jan. 22, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
This also jeopardizes Johnson’s goal of finishing the bill by Memorial Day.
It’s about the math: Johnson can only lose three votes. And he has north of a dozen nays now.
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Moreover, the House and Senate are out of alignment. Whatever can advance in the Senate can’t pass the House and vice versa. That could imperil the ultimate passage of the bill itself.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/reporters-notebook-house-scrambles-align-senate-framework-trumps-big-beautiful-bill