Former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill is facing a critical hurdle in the House of Representatives as five Republican lawmakers have broken ranks, potentially dooming a key procedural vote needed to advance the legislation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is leading a last-ditch effort to secure the votes needed, keeping the floor vote open indefinitely in an attempt to flip the holdouts. With only three Republican defections allowed, the current opposition from five GOP members threatens to derail what Trump has called his “Big Beautiful Bill.”
According to multiple reports, the following Republican lawmakers have voted “no” on the procedural motion:
Rep. Andrew Clyde (Georgia): Opposes the bill after the Senate parliamentarian removed a provision eliminating the registration fee and requirement for firearm silencers.
Rep. Victoria Spartz (Indiana): A fiscal conservative who opposes the procedural vote but has indicated she may still support the final bill.
Rep. Keith Self (Texas): A Freedom Caucus member who supported the original House-passed version but is withholding support for the revised Senate version.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania): A centrist known for moderate stances, including opposition to repealing the Affordable Care Act. His “no” vote reportedly caught GOP leaders by surprise.
Rep. Thomas Massie (Kentucky): A frequent critic of large spending packages, he voted against the procedural motion as the vote remained open.
Additionally, eight other GOP lawmakers have yet to vote, leaving open the possibility of further complications for Republican leadership.
Trump’s bill, approved narrowly in the Republican-led Senate on July 1, proposes major changes to tax and welfare policy. Key highlights include:
$4.5 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years, including:
Permanent extension of Trump-era individual and business tax cuts
New deductions for tips and overtime pay
A $6,000 deduction for seniors earning under $75,000
$350 billion allocated to defense and immigration enforcement
Deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, including:
80-hour monthly work requirements for many Medicaid recipients
Expanded work rules for SNAP beneficiaries
Increased state responsibility for food assistance costs
While the bill fulfills many of Trump’s 2024 campaign promises, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the legislation would add $3.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.
The Tax Policy Center released a nonpartisan analysis showing how the proposed tax changes would affect Americans:
Lowest quintile: ~$150 tax break
Middle quintile: ~$1,750 tax cut
Top quintile: ~$10,950 tax cut
These numbers reflect the savings compared to if Trump’s 2017 tax law provisions were allowed to expire.
With the 2024 election behind him, Trump is pushing hard to cement his economic agenda. On Truth Social, he posted:
“The USA is on track to break every record on GROWTH. Go Republicans, beat the Crooked Democrats tonight! PRO-GROWTH Tax Cuts never fail. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Despite Trump’s urging, the razor-thin margin in the House means any further defections could scuttle the bill.
House Speaker Johnson has vowed to keep the vote open “as long as it takes” as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
