Trump blasts House Republican holdouts keeping megabill from moving forward
'What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove???' US president says of controversial legislation
US President Donald Trump pushed House Republican holdouts early Thursday to advance his controversial tax and spending megabill.
"Largest 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???" he wrote on social media.
"MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT'S COSTING YOU VOTES!!!" he added.
His remarks came as the House of Representatives is voting on the Senate-passed bill with the goal of getting it to Trump's desk for his signature by Friday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to keep the key procedural vote on Trump's “One Big, Beautiful Bill” open for “as long as it takes.”
“I'll keep it open as long as it takes to make sure we've got everybody here and accounted for and all the questions answered,” Johnson told Fox News.
The vote right now is 207-217 against passage, with five Republicans "no" vote and eight holdouts.
The Senate passed the Republican bill in a 51-50 vote on Tuesday, with Vice President JD Vance breaking a 50-50 tie.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Wednesday that the Democrats will vote "hell no" on the bill, which would cement many of Trump's controversial domestic policy goals into law while adding $3.4 trillion to the nation's debt.
"What type of party would bring a bill to the House floor that rips away Medicaid from those in need? What kind of party would bring a bill to the House floor that literally robs food from the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors?” asked Jeffries.
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“And all of this is being done to provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors. It's unconscionable; it's unacceptable; it's un-American.”
"All we need are four Republicans – just four – to show John-McCain-level courage," he added, referring to the late senator's pivotal 2017 vote saving the Affordable Care Act from repeal.
Several House Democrats took the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday to call attention to the most contentious aspects of the legislation, including significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs.
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