House Speaker Johnson Looks to Sway Holdouts Ahead of Mega Bill Vote

What Happened?

House Republicans are pushing to cut nearly $1 trillion from two major safety net programs as part of efforts to support President Donald Trump’s 'big, beautiful bill' agenda.

If approved through legislation, millions of Americans could lose access to vital federal benefits such as Medicaid and food stamps as a result.

The House Budget Committee advanced President Trump’s multitrillion-dollar sweeping package in a 17-16 vote Sunday night.

It occurred two days after a group of conservatives had previously rejected it.

According to reports, Trump summoned a key wing of Republican members to the White House on Wednesday amid concerns about preventing his agenda from advancing this week.

GOP holdouts have reportedly threatened for weeks that they won’t support any Republican plan that doesn’t tackle the nation’s growing deficit.

It's enough pressure to prevent House Speaker Mike Johnson from muscling the package out of the House before the Memorial Day recess.

Why it Matters

Speaker Johnson can only afford three defections in a floor vote, which gives him a slim majority to make this all happen.

The bill would also still need changes before it secures the votes to pass the full House.

If successful, it will face a tough challenge in the Senate as Republicans have voiced plans to reject it without seeing major changes.

A dozen House conservatives had flipped their stances after receiving assurances that the Senate would pursue $1.5 trillion in savings.

Trump recently suggested that any GOP member who doesn't back the 'big, beautiful bill' would be 'knocked out so fast,' according to reports.

The remark on Tuesday comes as a warning from Trump as he looks to build support from a handful of hardliners.

'It's the biggest bill ever passed, and we've got to get it done,' Trump said.

Johnson had told reporters that the House was committed to finding at least $1.5 trillion in savings while preserving essential programs.

These decisions will consist of spending cuts, tax cut extensions, and the cap on the state and local tax deduction, among other key details that Trump has pushed for.

GOP lawmakers reportedly insist their proposed cuts to Medicaid and food stamps would largely affect 'able-bodied' adults.

House party leader Hakeem Jeffries called the 1,000-page budget plan an 'extreme and toxic bill.'

How it Affects You

Some believe the actual impacts of these cuts on a federal level would hit a far broader range of Americans, including some of the most vulnerable.

Those groups, experts say, include children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities that the GOP has promised to protect.

Proposed work requirements could put 11 million people at risk of losing their nutrition assistance.

Roughly 2.3 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage from this provision over the next decade.

Holdout conservatives are proposing steeper spending cuts to address the debt deficit and a much sooner Medicaid work requirement deadline.

They also reportedly want to eliminate all the clean energy subsidies implemented under former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.

It's a tough task for Johnson to unify a divided House, help please President Trump, and pass a budget that aligns with the American people.