The House GOP unveiled a comprehensive budget resolution on Wednesday that includes plans for increasing the debt limit, implementing spending cuts, and introducing tax cuts.
This proposed budget seeks to further the objectives initiated during the Trump administration. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has leaned heavily on executive orders and the efforts from his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to advance his agenda. This agenda has involved shrinking the federal workforce and assessing and restructuring various government departments.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed on X that the resolution is a testament to their unified resolve to fully implement the President’s objectives—not just partly. Trump has previously articulated his desire for “one big, beautiful bill” to streamline his policy initiatives.
Before moving forward, the House’s budget proposal will still undergo standard processes, including committee markups, advancing to the full House, and potentially to the Senate for reconciliation if passed. To pass through the Senate and overcome the legislative filibuster, a reconciled bill would require approval from at least 60 senators.
This reconciliation path could face challenges, as there is a stark difference in approach between the Senate and House Republicans on budget matters. Currently, the Senate Budget Committee is formulating two separate budget resolutions. Just last week, the Senate unveiled its first of two proposals, which includes a $150 billion boost for border security and a $175 billion increase in defense spending. A second proposal from the Senate aims to tackle tax cuts.
Both the House and Senate proposals serve as preliminary frameworks. Specific details regarding cuts and revenue sources will be settled by committees during the markup process and subsequently, during reconciliation. Here are some of the notable features put forward by House GOP members for the upcoming year:
1. Tax cuts worth $4.5 trillion over the next decade. President Trump has indicated his intention to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and eliminate taxes on tips.
2. Spending cuts amounting to $2 trillion intended to offset other parts of the proposal, such as tax cuts, border security, and defense. The bill instructs several committees to identify programs for reduction, which could potentially impact key safety net programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
3. Raising the debt ceiling to $4 trillion. Last month, the U.S. hit its debt ceiling, prompting the Treasury to adopt extraordinary measures to avoid default, which could lead to severe economic repercussions. Raising the debt limit would prevent such a default.
4. An increase of $100 billion for defense over the next ten years.
5. An increase of $90 billion designated for homeland security, which encompasses border security.
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