House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland, has stated his opposition to the Senate’s version of significant legislation intended to advance former President Donald Trump’s agenda, if a vote occurs this week. In a recent interview, Harris expressed his firm stance: “At this point, I would vote against it.”
Harris emphasized the need for both the House and Senate to develop their own versions of the plan after the Senate approved an amended version during the early hours of Saturday. As the leader of the House GOP’s conservative faction, he is the most prominent Republican to voice dissent regarding this legislation.
Concerns have also arisen among other fiscally-minded lawmakers regarding the Senate’s proposal, particularly its requirement for at least $4 billion in spending cuts. This contrasts significantly with the House’s plan, which anticipated cuts between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion.
Harris noted, “If the Senate can genuinely achieve meaningful deficit reduction, we could consider passing their amendments to our budget resolution.” However, he stressed he wouldn’t support the Senate’s approach until he has clarity on their actual deficit reduction plans.
Republicans in Congress are collaborating on a comprehensive piece of legislation, which Trump has dubbed “one big, beautiful bill.” This measure aims to bolster his agenda concerning border security, defense, energy, and tax policies. The budget reconciliation process would allow them to push this through more efficiently, reducing the requirement for Senate votes from 60 to 51.
The House’s budget framework, which passed in late February, includes increased funding for defense and border security, along with provisions to extend Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and introduce new proposals, such as eliminating taxes on tipped wages. It notably also proposed spending cuts tied to the anticipated effects of tax policy on the national deficit, a crucial aspect for obtaining support from deficit-focused legislators.
Currently, the House’s plan looks to raise the debt limit by $4 trillion, while the Senate’s version proposes an increase of $5 trillion. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated that lawmakers will be voting on the Senate’s revised version soon but maintained that this passage is simply a stepping stone for the House to work on its priorities without disruption.
In his communication to House GOP members, Johnson stressed that the Senate’s amendments do not alter the House’s own budget reconciliation instructions, allowing them to pursue their goals effectively. As lawmakers work to establish spending figures, there are differing opinions on the necessity of voting on the Senate’s version before making progress in the House.
Harris pointed out that there shouldn’t be a rush to vote on the Senate’s bill in order to move forward with crafting the actual reconciliation packages. He remains open to supporting Senate efforts if they can deliver on their commitment to reducing deficits.
