Johnson suffers setback as House conservatives stall GOP megabill
A failed committee vote derails Republicans’ plans to fast-track Trump’s tax, energy, and immigration package—and underscores the speaker’s tenuous grip on his conference.
“Godspeed and safe travels,” House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told his panel Friday afternoon. “I do not anticipate us coming back today.”
His words came moments after the committee failed to advance the GOP’s sweeping tax, energy, and immigration bill—a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
The setback is a major political blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and jeopardizes his Memorial Day deadline to pass the package through the House and deliver it to Trump’s desk by the July 4th recess.
Four conservatives—Reps. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.)—joined Democrats to vote no. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) switched his vote at the end so the committee could formally reconsider the bill next week.
Before the hearing began, Ranking Member Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) accused Republicans of rushing the bill from committee to the floor with “backroom deals in the dark” before the public could grasp the full consequences. He said Democrats would continue to shine a light on the process and resist at every step.
Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) went further during debate.
“We watched Republicans give away the farm to greedy billionaires, the CEOs and corporations, making permanent tax cuts for the richest and trying to trick the rest of Americans with a set of minuscule measures that are all temporary and only serve to pull the wool over taxpayers,” she said. “Don’t be fooled. It’s about the wealthy people in this country, not you and me.”