The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives late Tuesday advanced President Donald Trump’s tax cut and border security agenda, marking a significant step toward his 2025 policy goals.
The budget resolution passed by a narrow 217-215 vote, with Rep. Thomas Massie as the lone Republican opposing the measure and no Democratic support. One Democrat was absent from the vote.
The measure is a preliminary step toward extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts later this year. It now moves to the Senate, where Republicans are expected to take it up.
“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the vote. “We’re going to celebrate tonight, and we’ll roll up our sleeves and get right back in the morning.”
The resolution’s passage followed hours of negotiations, with Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise working to secure enough votes. At one point, Johnson canceled the vote due to insufficient support, only to reverse course soon after.
Trump himself reportedly called hesitant members, emphasizing the importance of advancing his $4.5 trillion tax plan, which includes funding for migrant deportations, border security, energy deregulation, and increased military spending.
Initially, several hardline conservatives demanded deeper spending cuts and greater control over separate government funding bills to prevent a potential shutdown when current funding expires on March 14. Despite early resistance, three Republican holdouts—Reps. Tim Burchett, Victoria Spartz, and Warren Davidson—ultimately backed the resolution.
Concerns over House Republican unity prompted Senate Republicans to advance their own budget resolution last week. Their $340 billion proposal addresses border security, defense, and energy priorities but postpones the debate on tax cuts.
For Republicans to bypass Democratic opposition and the Senate filibuster, both chambers must pass the same budget resolution, allowing them to use a special legislative process to advance Trump’s agenda later this year.
The House budget resolution proposes $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade to offset the cost of Trump’s priorities. His tax plan seeks to extend key provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
Beyond the budget resolution, lawmakers face a series of critical deadlines. Congress must pass fiscal year 2025 spending bills by March 14 to avoid a government shutdown. Later in the year, they will need to address the federal debt ceiling to prevent a potential default on the government’s $36 trillion debt.
