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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mike Johnson, Donald Trump get ‘big, 'beautiful' win as budget passes House
President Donald Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" passed the House of Representatives early on Thursday morning with few Republican defections. It is a significant victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who navigated deep inter-party friction within the House GOP Conference to deliver a product from which few Republican lawmakers ultimately defected. The bill is a sweeping multi-trillion-dollar piece of legislation that advances Trump's agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. It's sought to make a dent in the federal government's spending trajectory by cutting roughly $1.5 trillion in government spending elsewhere. The U.S. government is over $36 trillion in debt and has spent $1.05 trillion more than it's collected in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department. The bill passed 215 to 214 with just two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, voting against it. All Democrats voted against the bill as well, and House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., voted "present." Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Passes Key House Hurdle After Gop Rebel Mutiny Republicans spent more than 48 hours continuously working on the bill from the time it came before the House Rules Committee – the final gatekeeper before a House-wide vote – at 1 a.m. on Wednesday to when it passed the chamber just after 7 a.m. on Thursday. Read On The Fox News App "It quite literally is morning again in America," Johnson said. "What we're achieving today is nothing short of historic." All the while, Democratic lawmakers attempted a variety of delay tactics, from introducing amendments targeting key Trump policies to forcing several procedural votes on the House floor ahead of debate on the legislation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., notably spoke on the House floor for over 30 minutes just before the vote in a last-ditch effort to stretch out the seemingly endless day of debate and votes. "This bill represents a failed promise. Last year, Donald Trump and House Republicans spent all of their time to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America," Jeffries said on the House floor. "We're now more than 120 days past the inauguration. Costs aren't going down, they're going up." Tensions flared at multiple points as visibly weary lawmakers continued to fight their ideological battle into the early morning. House Gop Targets Another Dem Official Accused Of Blocking Ice Amid Delaney Hall Fallout Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who was presiding over the House at the time, warned Jeffries multiple times to address the chair in his remarks rather than directly attacking Republicans sitting across the chamber. "Every time I'm interrupted, that's going to add another 15 minutes to my remarks," Jeffries said as Democrats sitting around him sounded off in support. The bill seeks to permanently extend Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) while also implementing newer Trump campaign promises like eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay, and giving senior citizens a higher tax deduction for a period of four years. The legislation also included new funding for the border and defense, including more money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and $25 billion to kick-start construction of a "Golden Dome" defense system over the U.S. Cuts include new work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients, as well as putting more of the cost-sharing burden on states that took advantage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s expanded Medicaid enrollment by giving illegal immigrants access to the healthcare program. The legislation would also roll back a host of green energy tax credits awarded in former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – which Trump vowed to repeal in its entirety on the campaign trail. It also would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by roughly 20% by introducing some cost-sharing burdens on the states and increasing the amount of able-bodied Americans facing work requirements to be eligible for food stamps. All House Democrats rejected the bill, accusing Republicans of disproportionately favoring the wealthy at the expense of critical programs for working Americans. Republicans, on the other hand, have contended that they are preserving tax cuts that prevent a 22% tax increase on Americans next year if TCJA was allowed to expire, as well as streamlining programs like Medicaid and SNAP for vulnerable Americans who need it most. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chair of the House's 189 member-strong Republican Study Committee, told Fox News Digital, "This transformational legislation permanently extends President Trump's historic tax cuts, provides unprecedented funding for border security, and obliterates the last four years of catastrophic Democratic policies." And while most GOP lawmakers united on the final bill, divisions appeared to persist until the final moments. Conservatives had pushed for more aggressive targeting of Medicaid waste and Biden green energy subsidies, while blue state Republicans pushed for tax relief for Americans in high-cost-of-living areas. To resolve outstanding differences, House Republican leaders released a list of eleventh-hour changes to President Donald Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," hours before their full chamber is expected to consider the legislation. New provisions in the bill include a ban on federal funding for transgender adults' medical care, and $12 billion in new funding to reimburse states for money they spent countering the former Biden administration's border policies. Meet The Trump-picked Lawmakers Giving Speaker Johnson A Full House Gop Conference A key request from fiscal conservatives was also honored, with House GOP leaders apparently agreeing to speed up the implementation of work requirements for certain able-bodied recipients of Medicaid. The bill initially had Medicaid work requirements going into effect in 2029. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of the fiscal hawks leading GOP opposition to the bill, told Fox News Digital just after midnight Thursday that he was not sure if the legislation went far enough – but suggested the White House could persuade him with other avenues for change. "There are things in the executive space, executive actions that we think could take care of … some of our concerns on the Medicaid expansion," Roy said. The legislative update also included a victory for blue state Republicans who have been pushing for a higher state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap – the current $10,000 cap would be quadrupled to roughly $40,000, but only for people making less than $500,000 per year. The $10,000 cap was first instituted in TCJA. "This is what real leadership looks like. President Trump and House Republicans made a promise to the American people to secure our border, protect seniors, cut taxes on tips and overtime, and shut off the spigot of benefits for illegal immigrants," first-term Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital, "More than 77 million Americans made clear at the polls that they want President Trump's America First agenda codified into law, and our 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' delivers on this promise." But while House GOP leaders are enjoying their hard-fought victory now, the battle over Trump's "big, beautiful bill" is not over. Senate Republicans have already signaled they expect to make changes to the bill when it reaches the upper chamber, despite House GOP leaders publicly urging them to amend as little as possible. There is a significant number of senators who have expressed wariness at the level of Medicaid and SNAP cuts sought by the House. An increase to the SALT deduction cap could also be met with skepticism in the Senate, where no Republican represents a blue state – unlike the House, where New York and California districts are critical to the majority. The House and Senate must pass identical bills before sending them to Trump's desk for a signature. GOP leaders have signaled they hope to do that by the Fourth of article source: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump get 'big, 'beautiful' win as budget passes House
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Watch: Lawmakers Blake Moore, Debbie Dingell and Jan Schakowsky doze off during overnight committee session
Several lawmakers were caught nodding off during overnight committee sessions in Washington this week, as Congress scrambled to finalise key elements of President Trump's sweeping new legislative agenda. Reps. Blake Moore of Utah, Debbie Dingell of Michigan and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois were all spotted dozing during marathon hearings that extended into the early hours. Moore, the Republican vice chair of the House GOP Conference, was filmed slumped in his chair around 5 a.m. during a House Ways and Means Committee meeting to debate the tax portion of Trump's bill. The footage, captured by C-SPAN, showed Moore fast asleep until a colleague nudged him awake in time to vote 'no' on an amendment. The moment triggered laughter among committee members and quickly spread online. Moore later joked that he needed 'a quick power nap' but praised the committee's work, saying they'd delivered a bill that would benefit American workers and families. Meanwhile, Dingell, a Democrat, was caught with her eyes shut during deliberations on a proposal to cut $900 billion in federal spending, including major reductions to Medicaid. Critics mocked her apparent fatigue, but she later explained she'd been awake for 31 hours straight, fighting against Republican efforts to slash healthcare. 'Closed my eyes to think about an America where everyone has access to quality, affordable health care,' she said on social media. Schakowsky, who recently announced her retirement after 2026, was also seen nodding off during the same session. The Energy and Commerce Committee, where both she and Dingell sit, had reportedly been in session for more than 24 hours. These scenes unfolded as lawmakers wrestled with some of the most contentious elements of Trump's legislative package, including extending the 2017 tax cuts, eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, and implementing deep social spending cuts. Divisions within the GOP, especially over the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, have made the process even more gruelling.
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett accused of ‘abusing her power' at airport after she cut passengers in wheelchairs
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is being blasted on social media for jumping ahead of two passengers in wheelchairs while taking a flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport over the weekend. House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) posted photos of Crockett (D-Texas) boarding her flight ahead of the wheelchair-confined passengers and highlighted the security that flanked the outspoken Democrat. 'SPOTTED: Jasmine Crockett with a taxpayer-funded police escort, cutting everyone in line — even making DISABLED people wait,' McClain chided on social media with images of the Texas rep cutting the line. 3 Jasmine Crockett allegedly jumped in front of two passengers in wheelchairs at the airport. X/Lisa McClain 'Nothing to see here, just the next leader of the Democrats, abusing her power.' Crockett, who landed in hot water for dubbing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott 'governor hot wheels' in a jab at his wheelchair status earlier this year, had been taking a flight from Atlanta back to Washington, DC, on Sunday. The Post contacted Crockett's office for comment. Department of Transportation rules require airlines to give passengers with disabilities who need more time to get situated the ability to 'board the airplane before other passengers.' Conservative netizens quickly pilloried Crockett for leveraging her position as a congresswoman to score front-of-the-line access to the Delta flight. 3 The incident happened at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. X/Lisa McClain 'Why does Jasmine Crockett get a taxpayer funded police escort? Not to mention why she gets to cut in line ahead of people in wheelchairs,' Townhall columnist Phil Holloway jabbed on X. 'This entitlement is embarrassing,' X user Janine Thomas chided. 'Flying first class on our dime. Reminds me of the incident when Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee kicked a white lady out of her first class seat so that she could take it. I see a pattern here,' self-described 'MAGA patriot' Fred Jones said on X. Crockett, who is in her second term as a congresswoman, has quickly emerged as one of the loudest critics of President Trump in the lower chamber. Trump lashed out at her in an NBC 'Meet the Press' interview that aired earlier in the day Sunday, ripping her as a 'low IQ person.' 'For you to be in charge of the WHOLE country, you sure do have my name in your mouth a lot,' Crocket fired back via social media afterwards. 'Every time you say my name, you're reminding the world that you're terrified of smart, bold Black women telling the truth and holding you accountable. So keep talking…' 3 Jasmine Crockett appeared on Jimmy Kimmel on April 23, 2025. YouTube / Jimmy Kimmel Live Crockett has deployed aggressive antics against House Republicans during her time in the lower chamber. In March, she participated in a rally for the 'Tesla Takedown' movement, which prompted a warning from US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who told her to tread carefully. The Texas rep's name has been floated as a potential contender to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee. Connolly announced last week that he was stepping down as ranking member due to a resurgence in his cancer. 'Squad' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has since passed on vying for that highly coveted post. Unlike Ocasio-Cortez, who would've required a waiver because she doesn't serve on the Oversight panel anymore, Crockett currently sits on the committee, where she has gotten into fiery confrontations with some of its GOP members, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I'm right, he's wrong': Republicans at odds over bid to allow new parents to vote remotely
WASHINGTON — Some House Republicans are preparing to rebel against party leadership over a proposal to allow new parents in Congress to vote remotely while they are on maternal or paternal leave. Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., filed a discharge petition earlier this month to force a vote on a bill that would allow new parents to vote by proxy. The resolution garnered the 218 signatures required to bypass leadership, setting the stage for an intraparty fight over changing a core institutional rule. Under current House procedure, lawmakers must be physically present to cast their votes on legislation. As a result, lawmakers such as Luna and Pettersen who have recently given birth have missed key votes due to travel restrictions in the final weeks of their pregnancy and maternal leaves. 'I look forward to changing the institution. It needs to happen,' Luna told reporters on Tuesday, arguing the current proposal has been negotiated between Democrats and Republicans to include necessary limits. 'I'm not going to just simply fall in line because (leadership) say this is a tool of the minority,' Luna added. 'Which is stupid, because if it's a tool of the minority, why is it in our handbook that most Congress members don't actually read — so they don't actually know that it's a tool that you can use.' After a discharge petition reaches the 218-signature threshold, lawmakers must wait seven legislative days before they can force it to the floor. That so-called 'ripening period' is almost up, according to Luna, who said she is working on a date to call for a vote. However, the Florida Republican declined to share her timing plans, noting she didn't want to give leadership an opportunity to 'try to kick the vote to the very last fly-out day and last vote to try to get members to leave so that they don't vote for it.' The discharge petition comes as those in House Republican leadership push back against the proposal, warning such a change would violate the Constitution. 'We want to make it as easy as possible for young parents to be able to participate in the process. But proxy voting, in my view, is unconstitutional,' House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Tuesday. 'When Nancy Pelosi invented proxy voting, using COVID as the excuse for that, it took us down a trail that I thought violated the very document that organized this. I don't think it's constitutional.' Utah Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who serves as the House GOP Conference vice chairman, has not weighed in publicly on the bill but his office told the Deseret News he would back leadership's position. Luna pushed back on Johnson's argument, even going so far as to post a photo on X documenting three instances in which he voted by proxy in late 2022. It's not clear if Johnson will try other methods to squash the legislation, although it is possible GOP leadership will propose a motion to table, to effectively kill the proposal. However, Luna said such an effort would fail as at least 11 Republicans crossed party lines to sign the discharge petition — and far more expressed an interest, she said. It's possible a handful of other Republican members could stage some sort of revolt to kill the proxy voting bill. About half a dozen Republicans engaged in a tense discussion on the House floor on Tuesday, with some of those GOP lawmakers confirming it was related to the proxy voting debate. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, described it as a 'spirited conversation about what legislation gets to the floor and how,' although he declined to get into specifics. The Texas Republican said he opposes any legislation approving proxy voting, arguing the Constitution 'does not even remotely contemplate remote voting.' 'You're supposed to be present in the chamber. I think that's important,' Roy told reporters. 'I think everyday Americans are supposed to show up to work.' Under the bipartisan proposal, the bill would allow for up to 12 weeks of proxy voting on the House floor and in committees for both new mothers and fathers. Luna said the proposal is just a starting point and could later be expanded to include parents who adopt or have a child through surrogacy. Luna last spoke with Johnson about the proposal on Monday, characterizing it as a 'cordial' conversation that ultimately left the two agreeing to disagree. 'I think he's wrong. He thinks I'm wrong,' she said. '(But) I'm right. He's wrong.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump delivers first address to Congress since being reelected
WASHINGTON — Congressional lawmakers piled into the House chamber on Tuesday night to gather for the annual presidential address, President Donald Trump's first since being reelected and since Republicans have secured control of the two chambers of Congress. Trump began his speech just after 9:15 p.m. ET, but lawmakers from the House began taking their seats and staking out their preferred viewing positions as early as an hour beforehand. Vice President J.D. Vance and senators entered just after 8:40 p.m. Republicans were visibly energized to hear from their commander in chief, who will speak about his plans while in office as well as tout the accomplishments he believes he has achieved so far. When Trump entered the House chamber, Republicans were quick to give a standing ovation and roaring applause — while most Democrats remained seated. Trump was escorted by a procession of congressional leaders, including Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who serves as the vice chair of the House GOP Conference. Male GOP lawmakers were seen decked out in red ties, symbolic of the party's colors, while several female Republican women wore red or magenta outfits. On the other side of the chamber, several Democratic women wore pink pantsuits and dresses to advocate for women's rights, reminiscent of efforts in previous years for female lawmakers to wear white in support of the women's suffrage movement. The speech comes after a disruptive start for Trump's term as the president has made dramatic changes to the federal government by drastically cutting spending and laying off thousands of federal employees. Democrats responded to those cuts on Tuesday by inviting ex-government employees who were laid off by the Trump administration to attend as their guests for the speech. Meanwhile, some Democrats have reportedly planned to bring a variety of props to hold during Trump's speech, such as eggs or egg cartons to highlight recent inflation, according to Axios. Those protests come as the economy and groceries continue to be top of mind for voters, with 45% of U.S. adults saying the economy is faring fair and 31% say it is doing poorly, according to recent polling from Pew Research Center. Only 24% said the economy was in excellent or good shape. Meanwhile, more Americans expect food affordability to worsen over the next year, 43%, compared to just 37% who say it will get better, the poll showed. Another 19% said they think it would stay the same.
