Johnson readies GOP for late-night session to ram through budget bill

Time is running out for Speaker Johnson to get the budget bill on the floor, so desperate times call for desperate measures.

Johnson revealed that Congress will be working overtime heading into the holiday in an effort to get Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” on his desk.

Blocking the bill

Last week, Johnson was dealt a significant blow when GOP hardliners blocked the bill coming out of committee.

After the bill failed, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who was among those voting "no" on the bill, stated, “I have to now admonish my colleagues on this side of the aisle. This bill falls profoundly short. It does not do what we say it does with respect to deficits.

“That’s the truth. Deficits will go up in the first half of the 10-year budget window and we all know it’s true. And we shouldn’t do that. We shouldn’t say that we’re doing something we’re not doing.

“This bill has back-loaded savings and has front-loaded spending. I am a no on this bill unless serious reforms are made today, tomorrow, Sunday. Something needs to change or you’re not gonna get my support.”

McCarthy calls out hardliners

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has taken a shot at Johnson and the GOP caucus every chance he gets since leaving office, and this was no different.

On the bill failing, McCarthy stated, “The stock market seems like it is moving up. Now, if Congress can start doing the things that President Trump’s doing, it would even help us more.

“[It] was a real misstep on the Republicans’ part, in the budget side, that four of them looked out for themselves instead of moving the bill along, reconciliation.”

I disagree with McCarthy because I believe people like Roy are trying to protect the party and the country. The GOP ran on cutting costs and reducing the country’s debt, but the bill, as is, would add more than $2 trillion to the debt, and that is simply unacceptable.

Working all night

Johnson knows everything is riding on this bill, so he has told the caucus that they better get ready for some late nights this week in an effort to have the bill ready by Johnson’s self-imposed deadline.

Among the holdouts was Rep. Ralph Normal (R-SC), who remains undaunted, stating, "I really need to see something in writing. You know, we’ve talked enough. They know where we are. And you know, before, if it's just if it's the same old thing, that we can't get [a majority], we're going to have to pretty much stick with what we have, I’ve got a problem.”

Johnson reportedly held a meeting with House leadership and the hardliners on Sunday to try to work out the details. He still seemed positive they could get this done, adding, "The plan is to move it to the Rules Committee by midweek, and to the House floor by the end of the week, as we meet our initial, our original Memorial Day deadline.”

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, who is also an ally of Roy’s, is now offering support for the bill, stating, "Critics have attacked the House's One Big Beautiful reconciliation bill on fiscal grounds, but I think they are profoundly wrong. It is truly historic.” This will all play out over the next week, so let’s hope everyone can get on the same page and Trump gets that bill on his desk.