The back and forth: First, the "Big Beautiful Bill" was passed by the House. Then it was wrangled over in the Senate, passing narrowly, 51–50. Now, House legislators are returning to Washington to vote on the version that passed the Senate, and some of the representatives who say they were bullied into passing President Donald Trump's domestic agenda are now saying they're going to resist voting to pass. The Fourth of July deadline that the president gave Congress remains, Elon Musk keeps having a conniption, and your national deficit very well might balloon if the Republican holdouts acquiesce. Happy America Day, everyone! Wouldn't Jefferson be proud?
"House Speaker Mike Johnson can afford to lose only three Republican votes in the face of unified Democratic opposition, if all members are present and voting," reports Bloomberg. "Republicans Warren Davidson and Thomas Massie, who voted against the bill in May, remain firm no votes." So that leaves space for just one more who can object; any more and the whole bill will fail. Rep. Chip Roy (R–Texas) might defect. Or possibly Rep. Andy Ogles (R–Tenn.). Or Rep. Ralph Norman (R–S.C.).
"I'm not happy with what the Senate did to our product," said the speaker. "We understand this is the process. It goes back and forth, and we'll be working to get all of our members to yes."
