House Narrowly Passes Trump-Backed Budget

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) pulled a Republican budget blueprint from the floor on Tuesday night after it became clear he did not have the votes to pass it – only to revive and pass it moments later.

Republicans hold a narrow 218-215 majority in the House, and no Democrats had pledged to vote for the bill. The measure ultimately passed 217-215. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was the lone Republican vote against it.

The legislation, which is supported by President Donald Trump, would cut taxes by a whopping $4.5 trillion while cutting $2 trillion in mandatory federal spending, which covers programs such as Medicaid. It also includes $110 billion for border security and immigration, as well as a $100 billion increase in defense spending. Importantly, it would raise the debt limit by $4 trillion.

“Major development,” Erin Burnett reported on CNN’s OutFront. “Huge embarrassment for Speaker Mike Johnson just unfolding here as we’re speaking. He is pulling the vote on the budget blueprint. Pulling that vote. That was the budget to advance Trump’s agenda. He thought they had the votes. They were expecting to have this done hours ago.”

Burnett went to reporter Manu Raju at the Capitol.

“Yeah, a major setback for both House Republican leaders and President Trump as they try to advance the larger Trump agenda,” he said. “Remember, this budget blueprint must pass the House in order to pass the larger agenda. And it has to pass the Senate, too. But the first step is passing it out of the House.”

Mere minutes later, Burnett went back to Raju, who said Johnson revived the bill and the House was now voting on it.

Watch above via CNN.