House Republicans are moving at breakneck speed to advance President Donald Trump‘s legislative agenda through a massive reconciliation bill. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., aims to get the approximately 1,100-page legislation through the House and to the Senate before Memorial Day, using the budget reconciliation process to bypass potential obstacles.
The legislation, formally titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, contains numerous Republican priorities. At its center is an extension of trillions of dollars in tax cuts. According to The Bull Wark, the bill also includes over one trillion USD in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), alongside significant funding increases for immigration enforcement and deportation operations.
As per MSNBC, when Trump took office, congressional Republicans were split on a strategy for passing his agenda. Senate leadership preferred two separate bills to prevent potential roadblocks, while House leadership advocated for a comprehensive approach. Trump aligned with Johnson’s single-bill strategy, which ultimately gave the legislation its name.
Budget reconciliation process offers advantages but faces constraints
The budget reconciliation process, established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, provides Republicans with a strategic advantage. This special legislative procedure allows bills to pass through the Senate with a simple majority rather than the usual 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. The process begins with both chambers passing an identical budget resolution with reconciliation instructions for committees, directing how much each should spend or save.
Congressional committees then produce legislation fulfilling these instructions, which are bundled together by the Budget Committee. The House Budget Committee approved the combined bill late Sunday after extensive negotiations. The reconciliation process has not always guaranteed success, however. During Trump’s first term, an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed despite using this procedure.
Johnson’s strategy of combining everything into a single bill carries significant risks given the slim Republican majority in the House. Just four dissenting votes could derail the entire package. Competing interests between GOP factions have made balancing priorities difficult. A group of archconservatives temporarily blocked the bill in the Budget Committee last week, demanding changes including accelerated cuts to Medicaid spending. These modifications could alienate moderates concerned about political repercussions in the upcoming midterm elections.
The Senate presents additional hurdles. The “Byrd rule” limits reconciliation bills to provisions directly affecting the budget. The Senate parliamentarian determines whether challenged provisions comply with this rule. Senate Republicans have already indicated they plan to make their own changes to the House bill, which could create an impasse between the chambers.
The bill now moves to the House Rules Committee, scheduled to meet Wednesday to establish parameters for floor debate and consider amendments. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, acknowledged ongoing negotiations about the bill’s final form, stating, “Deliberations continue at this very moment. They will continue on into the week and, I suspect, right up until we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House. We’re not going to disclose the deliberations. I’m not sure I could disclose all the deliberations.”
The rushed timeline is particularly significant given two approaching deadlines. Most of the 2017 tax cuts expire at the end of this year, and Congress must raise the debt ceiling this summer. Republicans intend to address both issues through this legislation. Critics argue the rapid advancement of such substantial legislation limits transparency and could leave representatives voting on provisions they haven’t had time to fully review or explain to constituents.
Published: May 20, 2025 08:08 am