The last 24 hours have seen Donald Trump sometimes threatening, sometimes charming. When Thursday dawned, it seemed like the vote on the president's budget had stalled.
But then enough party colleagues fell into line. With the vote count 219-213, an unusually difficult procedural vote was cleared and the chamber gave the green light for debate and final voting, reports The Hill.
This happened after intense pressure and persuasion from Speaker Mike Johnson and his staff. The Republicans have a small majority in the House of Representatives, but not all members follow the party line.
Charms in the White House
The President contributed with posts on social media.
"Should be an easy yes vote. Ridiculous!!", he fumed, partly in capital letters.
"Maga is not happy, you will lose votes!!"
On Wednesday, an intense charm offensive was underway in the White House, where wavering members were taken, writes The New York Times. Several of them left the Oval Office with signed photos and souvenirs, and some were persuaded by the efforts made.
The President was wonderful as always, said Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett as he was on his way out.
The pressure is high. Trump has set his own deadline to the US National Day on Friday. Then he wants to sign the budget, which would constitute his first legislative success.
Increased national debt?
The nearly 1,000-page budget proposal evokes strong emotions in the polarized USA. It advocates for the tax cuts for mainly high-income earners, which Trump introduced during his previous term, to become permanent. It also includes major investments in defense, efforts against illegal migration, and strengthened border security. Tax on overtime work and tips is removed, and the ceiling for national debt is raised.
To finance this, drastic cuts are made in the state health insurance Medicaid for low-income earners and the program for state food stamps. And predecessor Joe Biden's climate regulations are repealed, including support for the electric car market.
According to the independent Congressional Budget Office, the budget will increase the already high national debt by a staggering $3,300 billion. Additionally, 12 million Americans risk losing their health insurance.
The budget has already been given the green light in the House of Representatives once. But since then, the Senate has made additions, before the bill was approved there on Tuesday. It is these that have now made many hesitant. The opposition is divided into groups, but mainly concerns that the budget would burden the national debt and reduce Medicaid. Some Republicans believe that this will negatively affect their chances of being re-elected.
Congress is the federal legislative assembly in the USA, based in the Capitol in the capital Washington DC. Its work runs in two-year periods – on January 3, 2025, the 119th Congress meeting will start.
Congress consists of the Senate with 100 members, two from each state, and the House of Representatives with 435 seats distributed in relation to the states' population. In the Senate, the Republicans have 53 of the seats. South Dakota Senator John Thune is the majority leader and New York Democrat Chuck Schumer is the minority leader. In the House of Representatives, the Republicans have 220 seats, the Democrats 212, and three are vacant. Mike Johnson is the Speaker and Hakeem Jeffries is the minority leader.
Congress enacts federal laws, decides on taxes and appropriations, and approves ministers and other high officials. It can also dismiss federal officials, including the President and judges, through impeachment. Sources: USA's Congress, House Press Gallery
