United States: On Tuesday, President Donald Trump will go to Capitol Hill to discuss the tax-cut bill with congressional Republicans, since their majority is divided over the choices for spending cuts, as reported by Reuters.
Friday Setback Turned Sunday Success
On Friday, hardline members of the U.S. House of Representatives stopped the bill, as nonpartisan analysts believe the increase in debt will be between $3 trillion and $5 trillion, but they approved it by Sunday.
The bill would make permanent the tax cuts Trump signed into law in 2017, along with tax deductions he promoted in his speeches for tips and overtime pay.
Balancing Party Factions
He must strive to maintain party unity so that hardliners preferring sharp budget cuts, moderates dedicated to Medicaid, and Republican officials who seek federal help for their constituents’ deductions do not block the final legislation.
Trump goes to Capitol today to urge passage of tax cut and budget bill. He speaks to US House Republicans at 9 am. https://t.co/gswSUi1aDi
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 20, 2025
Republicans are planning to use parliamentary skills to avoid Democratic objections, as those Democrats argue the bill largely favors the wealthy and will have a severe impact on social services.
GOP Tactics and Democratic Resistance
“I think he’ll urge people to get together and I think it’ll be an upbeat speech … I’m glad he’s coming,” said hardline Republican Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of the handful who voted against the bill on Friday.
Mike Johnson aims to finalize the measure before the end of the week, ensuring the Senate will look at it in June.
“I’m very optimistic we will find the right equilibrium point to get this bill delivered,” Johnson told reporters on Monday, even as he acknowledged that some thorny issues were unresolved.
Moody’s reveals that it has removed the top-level rating from the U.S. federal government, which is impacting Republicans as they meet. It noted that several administrations and Congresses did not manage the rising debt appropriately.
Trump’s proposals have received approval from Congress, which is presently dominated by Republicans.
Senate Prepares for Next Steps
If the bill clears the House, Senate Democrats will have to negotiate a party-line measure that might differ greatly from what the House agreed on.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. But it should happen in a timely way,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota told reporters on Monday, as reported by Reuters.
With their 53-47 grip on the Senate, the Republicans have already had a voice ready to point out issues with the way Medicaid is included in the House bill.