The House is gearing up for a long overnight session as Republicans plow ahead with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” after the House Rules Committee advanced a revised version of the megabill supporting President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
After a marathon hearing, the committee vote was 8-4, teeing up action on the House floor with final passage possibly in the early morning hours.
The committee vote came after changes to several of the bill’s provisions, including a change to when Medicaid work requirements would kick in.
Texas Rep. Chip Roy was absent for the committee’s votes.
The key procedural step was needed before advancing the legislation to a final vote.
On the full House floor, Democrats are already trying to slow down the bill’s movement on the House floor by using stalling tactics like forcing a vote to adjourn. There is expected to be action on the House floor through the night.
The slow march toward passage comes after Trump met with House Speaker Mike Johnson and members of the House Freedom Caucus on Wednesday, aiming to shore up support for the bill.
That meeting came after earlier negotiations with hard-liners fell apart Tuesday. The GOP is far from unified around the bill, which they earlier had said they hoped to move to a vote on Wednesday. Several sticking points, primarily regarding Medicaid work requirements and a cap on state and local tax deductions, still need to be worked out.
After the meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The meeting was productive and moved the ball in the right direction. The President reiterated how critical it is for the country to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill as quickly as possible.”
Clearing the House is just the first hurdle for the bill — it will also have to pass muster with a Senate Republican conference that is already telegraphing that they plan to make changes.
Here are the major changes to the bill in the 42-page amendment:
Medicaid: The start date for new Medicaid work requirements will now kick in “no later than December 31, 2026.” The original bill had the work requirements starting in 2029.
This alteration is a win for hardliners who have for days been pushing for steeper spending cuts to be included in the package. Medicaid work requirements are expected to reduce spending in the bill.
There is also a new incentive for states to not expand Medicaid. Medicaid expansion states are increasing state-directed payments up to 110% to maintain the structure.
State and Local Tax Deductions: SALT deduction rises to $40,000 for incomes under $500,000. This is a substantive change from the $10,000 cap that was implemented by Republicans in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
This is a concession geared toward satiating blue-state Republicans in states like New York and California. Many of them conditioned their support for the package on lifting or raising the cap on these deductions. Moderates will brand this as a big win.
Maga Savings Account: The amendment changes the names of these accounts. Instead of MAGA Accounts, they will now be called “Trump” Accounts. The president’s last name appears in the manager’s amendment +50 times.
Expedited cuts to clean energy credits: Some of Biden-era clean energy tax credits will phase out sooner, allowing Republicans to recoup costs to apply toward the overall cost of the bill. To receive credits, new projects must break ground within 60 days or be “placed in service” by the end of 2028.
Billions in border security reimbursements: The Department of Homeland Security appropriates $12 billion to states for costs associated with Biden-era border actions through September 30, 2029. The DHS Secretary can authorize grants to assist with immigration enforcement.
Ends tax on silencers: The manager’s amendment delists silencers from the National Firearms Act, effectively ending a tax on transferring silencers.
