U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson accomplished what many deemed unlikely by securing the passage of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” omnibus bill in a dramatic early morning session on Thursday.
In a narrow 215-214 vote that mostly followed party lines, the prominent tax cut legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate, where it is expected to undergo substantial revisions before returning to the House for final approval.
While challenges remain, Thursday’s vote marks another indication of Johnson’s growing influence as one of the most capable Republican speakers in recent memory. He skillfully negotiated with both conservatives and Republicans from high-tax states, brokering deals on contentious issues such as Medicaid reductions and SALT deduction limits with virtually no margin for error. In the final moments, he enlisted President Trump to issue a stern warning to potential dissenters.
“Don’t f**k with Medicaid,” Trump allegedly told the GOP caucus in a Wednesday meeting, Politico reported.
The warning was aimed primarily at fiscal conservatives who had threatened to vote against the legislation unless spending cuts were increased beyond the already massive reductions proposed.
He also mocked centrist Republicans who complained about the expanded SALT deduction provisions, despite the limit being raised fourfold from its previous $10,000 cap.
Trump celebrated the bill’s progress on Truth Social Thursday morning, highlighting its alignment with his policy goals.
“This is arguably the most significant piece of Legislation that will ever be signed in the History of our Country! The Bill includes MASSIVE Tax CUTS, No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, Tax Deductions when you purchase an American Made Vehicle, along with strong Border Security measures, Pay Raises for our ICE and Border Patrol Agents, Funding for the Golden Dome, “TRUMP Savings Accounts” for newborn babies, and much more!” he wrote.
“Great job by Speaker Mike Johnson, and the House Leadership, and thank you to every Republican who voted YES on this Historic Bill! Now, it’s time for our friends in the United States Senate to get to work, and send this Bill to my desk AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!”
On the House floor, Johnson expressed gratitude for the cooperation and compromises shown by his colleagues and commended the caucus for presenting a unified stance amid Democratic infighting.
“After a long week and a long night and countless hours of work over the past year, a lot of prayer and a lot of teamwork, my friends, it quite literally is morning in America,” Mr. Johnson said after 6 a.m. following an all-nighter of a debate on the House floor, the NYT reported. “After four long years of President Biden’s failures, President Trump’s America First agenda is finally here, and we are advancing that today.”
