House Advances Megabill to Final Vote After Holdouts Persuaded

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A vote into the night advanced the legislation, which will now head to a final House vote.

WASHINGTONโ€”After House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Republican leaders spent hours scrambling to flip holdouts, President Donald Trumpโ€™s One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed a key procedural vote in the House.

In the early hours of July 3, the House voted 219-213 to open debate and tee the package up for final vote, due in the coming hours. If it passes, it will then head to Trumpโ€™s desk.

The development marked a victory for Johnson and Trump who had been whipping votes since the Senateโ€™s passage on Tuesday. Both conservative and moderate holdouts objected to the Senateโ€™s version of the bill for different reasons, including its effect on the deficit and deeper cuts to Medicaid.

At around 1:20 a.m., Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters they were working to persuade holdouts, with Johnson predicting that โ€œsometime this morning, weโ€™ll get the bill done.โ€

The procedural measure, known as a rules vote, was held open for more than five hours as it was locked in a 207โ€“217 vote. Five Republicans had voted against advancing the bill, with eight other Republicans not voting and withholding their support.

Shortly after midnight,  Trump encouraged lawmakers to advance the bill.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, โ€œLargest Tax Cuts in History and a Booming Economy vs. Biggest Tax Increase in History, and a Failed Economy. What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove??? MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND ITโ€™S COSTING YOU VOTES!!!โ€

Speaking to reporters at about 1:45 a.m. ET, Johnson blamed the breadth of the Senate changes to the bill for the difficulties.

โ€œI encouraged our Senate colleagues to make as few modifications as possible, and they made more than I frankly anticipated,โ€ Johnson said.

โ€œWe will make our July 4th deadline, which everybody mocked when I said it,โ€ Johnson added, referencing Trumpโ€™s request that Congress pass the bill by Independence Day.

Lawmakers finally advanced the measure around 3:30 a.m. ET.

Ahead of this vote, another procedural vote was held open on the floor for a record seven and a half hours as leadership sought to build support for legislation behind the scenes.

Scalise, soon after 1:20 a.m., predicted that โ€œsome folks will probably change their votes on the rule.โ€

Shortly before Scalise and Johnson spoke to reporters, Rep. Dale Strong (R-Ala.) emerged from Johnsonโ€™s office.

He told The Epoch Times he had been speaking with holdouts, though not with the White House.

Johnson told reporters that Vance, members of Trumpโ€™s cabinet, agencies, and others from the administration had engaged with lawmakers regarding the bill.

By Joseph Lord and Nathan Worcester

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

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