News is knowledge, Knowledge is news /

//House GOP Pushes Sweeping Budget Plan Amid Fierce Opposition//

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, departs a news conference joined from left by Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., after discussing work on a spending bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. 

AM GMT+6, February, 2025

— In a high-stakes vote backed by President Donald Trump, House Republicans narrowly advanced their ambitious budget blueprint on Tuesday. The measure, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts, passed 217-215 despite strong resistance from Democrats and concerns within the GOP itself.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had little room for error with his slim Republican majority. He worked relentlessly to rally votes, facing resistance from Democrats, skeptical GOP senators, and some hesitant Republican lawmakers. Trump personally lobbied holdouts, making calls and inviting them to the White House to secure support.

“This was a tough fight, but we got it done,” Johnson said after the vote.

A Step Toward Major Tax and Spending Changes

The budget package is a crucial first step toward Trump’s broader legislative push. It lays the groundwork for extending tax cuts from his first term—set to expire later this year—while imposing deep spending reductions across federal programs and services.

The road ahead, however, remains long and uncertain. The bill must go through weeks of committee hearings before reaching the Senate, where a more modest GOP-backed version has already been introduced. Meanwhile, Congress faces another urgent challenge: preventing a government shutdown when federal funding expires on March 14.

Public Backlash and Political Tensions Grow

Beyond Washington, public anger is mounting over broader government cuts. Elon Musk, appointed to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, has overseen mass layoffs across federal agencies, fueling voter frustration. At town halls nationwide, lawmakers are facing heated confrontations from constituents who fear the impact of spending reductions.

During a heated debate on the House floor, Democrats condemned the Republican plan as a betrayal of working Americans. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it a “blueprint for American decline” and a “Republican rip-off.”

“Our way of life is under assault,” Jeffries declared, flanked by Americans who say they will be directly harmed by cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs.

While Democrats voiced outrage, their minority status left them unable to block the bill’s passage. The battle now shifts to the Senate, where negotiations and further political clashes are inevitable.

As the process unfolds, the budget fight is shaping up to be a defining moment in Trump’s presidency—one that will test both his influence over Congress and the public’s appetite for sweeping fiscal changes.