The House GOP’s major tax and spending package is under fire after the Senate parliamentarian ruled key provisions violate Senate reconciliation rules, jeopardizing efforts to bypass a Democrat filibuster. In response, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is pushing for a rule vote Wednesday to revise the legislation and keep it on track.
The Senate parliamentarian flagged components including proposed cuts to Pentagon spending and provisions tied to the pandemic-era employee retention tax credit. For the reconciliation process to work—allowing passage with a simple majority—the House bill must conform to Senate procedural guidelines.
Speaker Johnson’s attempt to alter the bill through a procedural rule has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a vocal opponent of the bill, called the maneuver “sneaky.” Meanwhile, House Rules Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., urged Democrats to use the rule vote to block the legislation altogether.
“If you vote yes on today’s rule, you’re complicit in what you are claiming to oppose,” McGovern wrote in a letter to House Democrats, blaming Republicans for rushing the bill through late-night markups that led to rule violations.
The House vote is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but growing doubts surround the GOP’s July 4 deadline. While some Republicans hope to finalize the bill by Independence Day, others now see the target as unrealistic.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, believes the Senate might pass the bill on time, but warned negotiations with the House could drag into August. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., offered a blunt assessment: “It won’t happen.”
The parliamentarian’s ruling underscores the procedural landmines Republicans must navigate to advance Trump’s funding priorities without Democrat support.
The ruling adds fresh urgency to GOP efforts to unify behind a single legislative strategy as internal divisions and procedural hurdles threaten to derail key elements of President Trump’s economic agenda. With Democrats unified in opposition and the clock ticking, Republican leaders are under intense pressure to deliver a compliant package that satisfies both chambers without watering down core conservative priorities.
