All night up, house republicans voted on Thursday before the dawn to promote the tax and expenditure package of President Donald Trump, earned back after Gop leaders almost worked around the clock to convince skeptical holdouts while racing to send the bill to his desk against the deadline of the fourth July.
A roll call that started at the end of Wednesday finally closed almost six hours later, a very unusual stall in a procedural step. Trump, who had previously organized legislators in the White House, lashed out in the delay. As soon as the Havel struck, 219-213, the bill proceeded to a final debat round to a definitive vote, which is expected later on Thursday morning.
“Our way is to plow and get it done,” said house speaker Mike Johnson, who came up in the middle of the night from a series of meetings with a closed door. “We will meet our deadline on July 4.”
The idea of gathering quickly for a vote on the more than 800-page BillaFter that it was accepted in the Senate the day before was a risky gamble, one that was designed to meet Trump’s demand for a holiday finish. Republicans have struggled powerfully with the bill almost every step of the road, often due to the narrowest margins – only one voice. Their slender majority of 220-212 leaves little room for defects.
Various Republicans Balking are asked to vote the senate version less than 24 hours after the passage rubber. A number of moderate republicans from competitive districts have objected to the cuts of the senate account on Medicaid, while conservatives have dismissed the legislation as wandering from their tax goals.
“What are the Republicans waiting for ??? What are you trying to prove ???” Trump put in a voice after the midnight. He also warned grim about political consequences for the delay “Costs you voting !!!”
Johnson and his team fell to convince them that the time for negotiations is over. They needed help from Trump to close the deal, and the legislators went to the White House on Wednesday to talk a two -hour session to talk to the president about their concerns. Trump also worked the phones.
“The president’s message was:” We are good, “said Rep. Ralph Norman, RS.C.” He wants to see this. ”
Republicans rely on their majority of congress to push the package over a wall of uniform democratic opposition. No Democrats voted for the bill in the Senate and no one was expected to do this in the house.
“Hell no!” Said Huisdemocratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, flanked by fellow democrats outside the Capitol.
In an early warning signal from Republican Resistance, during a first procedural vote that also got stuck while GOP leadership was waiting for legislators who were delayed to return to Washington and conducted closed door negotiations with holdouts.
During the evening, when pizzas and other dinners arrived at the Capitol, the next steps were uncertain.
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Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Matt Brown have contributed.
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