House lawmakers could kick off consideration of President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ as soon as Wednesday morning.
A notice sent to congressional offices on Sunday night indicated House GOP leaders think they may begin the process at 9 a.m. Wednesday with an initial House-wide vote.
Nothing is set in stone, however, and the Senate is still working its way through the massive piece of legislation as of Monday morning.
‘The president has been very clear that it’s time to get this bill out of Congress and over to his desk,’ House GOP Policy Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital. ‘We’re going to celebrate Independence Day with a big, beautiful signing ceremony and finally deliver this tax relief to American families.’
The initial House-wide vote would be a ‘rule’ vote, a procedural hurdle to allow lawmakers to begin debating the bill. That could set up a final vote by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, depending on last-minute maneuvering to rally support. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation is considered chamber-wide, is likely to consider the bill on Tuesday.
The initial version of the bill passed the House of Representatives by just one vote in late May.
House GOP leaders are facing similarly slim odds now, with just four Republican defections being enough to sink the bill, assuming all Democrats vote against it as expected.
Some House Republicans have already voiced concerns about some of the Senate’s key modifications to the bill. Moderates are wary of additional cost-sharing burdens for states that expanded their Medicaid populations under the Affordable Care Act, while conservatives argue other measures in the bill will mean it adds more to the $36 trillion national debt than the House version.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to take their concerns to leadership or their Senate counterparts rather than airing those grievances on social media.
Meanwhile, leadership allies have been hitting the media sphere in support of the bill.
‘The One, Big, Beautiful Bill delivers President Trump’s pro-worker promises by eliminating tax on tips, overtime, and auto interest, while also delivering tax relief for seniors,’ House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., posted on X amid a litany of other statements promoting the bill.
Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote, ‘The average taxpayer in my district would face a 26% tax increase if we don’t pass the One Big Beautiful Bill. Failure is not an option. We must pass this bill to prevent the largest tax hike in history!’
The 940-page legislation is aimed at advancing Trump’s priorities on taxes, the border, energy, defense and the national debt.
The president has said he wants the bill on his desk on or around the Fourth of July.
Additionally, the legislation could still change before it gets to Trump – the Senate is kicking off a marathon ‘vote-a-rama’ on the bill with various senators on both sides offering an unlimited number of amendments.
