Watch: The Moment the US House Approves Trump-Supported Spending BillRepublicans in the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a multi-trillion-dollar government spending bill on Tuesday, marking a significant victory for President Donald Trump and advancing his 2025 agenda.
The vote was 217-215, a closely contested result that served as an early test for Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson had previously postponed the vote, fearing insufficient support.
While some Republicans pushed for stricter fiscal discipline, the bill includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, partially funded by spending cuts but also risking an increase in the US government’s growing debt. Ultimately, the bill passed along party lines, with all Democrats voting against it and just one Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voting no. Massie, a fiscal conservative, called for deeper spending cuts. One Democrat did not vote.
The proposed budget calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade to fund President Trump’s agenda. It also includes over $100 billion in new spending for immigration enforcement and military initiatives. Additionally, it seeks to extend tax breaks from Trump’s first term, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
However, the bill still faces several hurdles before becoming law. It must be reconciled with a separate budget being considered in the Senate. Even if both chambers reach an agreement, many details will need to be negotiated before the bill can be sent to Trump for his signature.
The vote had been delayed earlier in the day as House Republican leaders worked to secure enough support. Speaker Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise spent hours lobbying wavering members to support the bill, which funds border security, deportations, and military spending in addition to the tax cuts. Trump personally called some of the reluctant members to encourage their support.
“Trump helped us with a number of members,” Scalise said. “Talking to anyone we asked who needed clarification.” Three of the four Republican holdouts, Representatives Tim Burchett, Victoria Spartz, and Warren Davidson, ultimately voted in favor.
“We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead, but we’re going to deliver the American First agenda,” Speaker Johnson said after the vote. “We’ll celebrate tonight and then get back to work tomorrow.”
Democrats sharply criticized the bill, arguing that it mainly benefits the wealthy through tax cuts and could harm low-income families dependent on government-funded programs like Medicaid. In a bid to ensure enough Democrats were present for the crucial vote, Representative Brittany Petterson returned from maternity leave to participate.
With President Trump’s endorsement, the Senate now faces pressure to take up the House’s spending plan, despite its own separate proposal introduced last week.