President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” advanced out of the House Budget Committee in a dramatic 17–16 vote.
Republicans cleared a major procedural hurdle after four conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus agreed to back down from their earlier opposition and voted “present.”
The late-night session came after a failed attempt to move the bill forward on Friday. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) called committee members back to Washington for a 10 p.m. meeting Sunday, where last-minute negotiations led to a breakthrough.
Johnson briefly addressed reporters before the vote, signaling confidence that Republicans had agreed. “We count that as a big win tonight,” he said.
The bill is a centerpiece of Trump’s 2025 agenda, combining priorities across taxation, immigration, energy, and defense into one sweeping legislative package.
At over 1,100 pages, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is being advanced through budget reconciliation, a process that allows Republicans to sidestep Senate Democrats and pass legislation with a simple majority in both chambers.
House conservatives who had blocked the bill on Friday pushed for stronger crackdowns on Medicaid and a rollback of green energy tax credits tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
After receiving written assurances from House leadership, the four holdouts—Reps. Chip Roy, Ralph Norman, Josh Brecheen, and Andrew Clyde agreed to let the bill proceed, though they did not vote in favor.
Roy, one of the most vocal fiscal hawks, said the revised version would now move forward with Medicaid work requirements and reduce future green subsidies. Norman added that the agreement followed “a great deal of work and engagement” over the weekend.
Speaker Johnson described the legislation as the most significant spending reduction in at least three decades.
Among its many components are an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a complete elimination of federal taxes on tips and overtime pay, a $4,000 tax deduction for seniors, and a $175 billion investment in border security—including over $46 billion earmarked for wall construction along the southern border. The bill also boosts defense spending by over $150 billion, including funds for missile defense, Navy expansion, and military readiness.
Other provisions include Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied adults, a SALT cap increase to $30,000 for those earning under $400,000, and penalties for states that expand Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants. The bill raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and streamlines student loan repayment into two simplified programs.
Moderate Republicans have expressed concerns over reductions to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), while members from high-tax blue states are demanding more generous SALT deduction caps. Internal GOP debates are expected to continue as the bill moves to the House Rules Committee and then to a full floor vote later this week.
If passed, the bill will head to the Senate, where Republican leaders plan to use reconciliation rules to bypass a Democratic filibuster. Senate Republicans hold only 53 seats, and some, such as Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), have raised early objections to specific provisions.
Still, Johnson said House and Senate leaders are working closely and hope to avoid significant changes. Any amendments made in the Senate would require another vote in the House. Republican leadership hopes to have a final version of the bill on Trump’s desk by July 4.