Republicans stuck in the mud on Trump tax bill
Congressional Republicans are halfway through a critical four-week stretch for passing President Trump’s legislative priorities — and they are behind the eight-ball.
On the House side, leaders are struggling to find consensus on a host of hot-button issues, headlined by Medicaid cuts and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. Top lawmakers are looking to advance key parts of the legislation next week, even as they haven’t been able to unveil legislation yet and their members remain far apart on the crucial questions.
Across the Capitol, meanwhile, Senate Republicans are raising an eyebrow at the slow progress being made by their counterparts, questioning when they will get their hands on the package.
That combination is upping the pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to deliver on his self-imposed Memorial Day deadline. He has the herculean task of finding a final product that appeases hardline conservatives, vulnerable moderates and the White House — all with few votes to spare in the GOP’s razor-thin majority.
“We’re still in the consensus-building business around here, as we are every single day,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday. “I’m very encouraged by our position in this and the progress that’s being made, and I think the final product gonna be very favorable to everybody.”
The state-of-play, however, tells a different story.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid, is planning to formally consider and vote to advance its portion of the package on Tuesday, but the conference still remains at odds over potential changes to Medicaid. The budget resolution that served as a blueprint for the final bill instructed the panel to achieve at least $880 billion in spending cuts, which experts say is likely impossible without cuts to the safety net program.
Republicans are largely on board with imposing work requirements, six-month........
© The Hill
