Republican lawmakers advanced President Trump’s sweeping legislative package in a rare late-night session Sunday, clearing a major procedural hurdle and signaling a temporary truce among divided GOP factions.
Meeting after 10 p.m. EDT, the House Budget Committee voted 17-16 to move forward with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation combines Trump’s extended tax cuts, increased border security funding, and overhauls of Medicaid and food assistance programs.
Four Republicans who had blocked the bill on Friday Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma shifted their votes to “present,” allowing the measure to advance. Roy indicated that negotiators had made headway on two key demands: accelerating Medicaid work requirements and phasing out green energy tax credits more quickly.
The late-night nature of the vote underscored the stakes involved. Speaker Mike Johnson and White House Legislative Affairs Director James Braid were both seen nearby, signaling high-level involvement in the last-minute negotiations.
Johnson called the committee vote a significant achievement, emphasizing that although some legislative details remain unresolved, the path forward is clearer. He expressed confidence that the final version of the bill will be ready in time for a vote ahead of the Memorial Day deadline.
He framed the committee’s action as a meaningful milestone. “This will be a victory out of committee tonight,” Johnson said. “Everybody will make a vote that allows us to proceed, and that was my big request tonight.”
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