House Republicans launch marathon hearings to push ahead with Trump’s big bill

By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREAKING Associated Press WASHINGTON AP Tax breaks tallying more than trillion but also sizable reductions in Medicaid healthcare care food stamps for older Americans and green vitality strategies to fight context change are all up for debate Tuesday as the House Republicans launch marathon inhabitants hearings on their big beautiful bill It s a long day and night ahead Republicans are working to push President Donald Trump s signature legislative package through a gauntlet of committee hearings over mounting opposition from Democrats advocacy groups and even chosen wary Republicans themselves Trump speaking at an forum in the Middle East struck an ambitious chord saying Congress was on the verge of passing the largest tax cut and regulation cut in American history If we get that that will be like a rocket ship for our country Trump revealed in Saudi Arabia But to be sure there are multiple more initiatives before the package becomes law It s the biggest political and legislative debate for the Republicans leading Congress since Trump s first term setting up a career-defining clash over the nation s priorities certain trillion in tax breaks including the president s promises for no taxes on tips Social Safety income and car loan interest offset by trillion in tax savings largely from green power rollbacks for a net tally of trillion in taxes according to the greater part current estimates House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Republicans of jamming another GOP tax scam that benefits the wealthy at the expense of programs and services used by Americans It is an egregious and outrageous bill Jeffries announced At its core the goal for GOP lawmakers is to extend and enhance tax cuts approved in Related Articles Schumer is vowing to hold up Justice Department nominees for answers about luxury plane from Qatar Buttigieg returns to Iowa for veterans town hall amid talk of another White House bid Farmers weigh Trump s exchange war like they watch the weather waiting to see how things go Trump says he will ease sanctions on Syria moves to restore relations with new leader FDA and RFK Jr aim to remove ingestible fluoride products used to protect kids teeth Additionally the Republicans are boosting spending on their GOP priorities with billion for Trump s mass deportation plans and funding for the Pentagon At the same time the Republicans are seeking to defray the lost tax revenue and avoid skyrocketing national deficits by with another GOP goal which is scaling back federal spending with nearly billion cuts to fitness care billion to food programs and billions in the Biden-eras green potency investments that millions of Americans rely on in states across the country And tucked in is a smattering of other provisions fundamental to the White House including one that would allow the Trump administration to yank the tax exempt status of groups it says backing terrorists sending a chill through civil society organizations who warn it s a way to punish opponents Speaker Mike Johnson is determined to push the package through the House by Memorial Day sending it to the Senate where Republicans are working on their own version and approach With the slimmest majority in the House Johnson has just a minimal votes to spare and is running into resistance from his party including lawmakers in the Senate which also has thin GOP margins In the current form I can t assistance it announced Wisconsin Republican Sen Ron Johnson a deficit hawk who wants deeper spending reductions On Tuesday three House committees will gavel into session for what is expected to be marathon hearings on the three largest components of the package the Means Means tax writing committee the Capacity Commerce Committee that handles wellbeing care and ability plan and later in the evening the Agriculture Committee that has proposed the food stamps cuts Advocacy groups are protesting the cuts and Democrats as the minority party in Congress unable to stop the bill are planning to use the procedural tools available in to slow down the process The lawmakers are racing for a July deadline to have the whole package sent to Trump s desk in time to also avoid a dangerous debt default The Treasury Secretary has disclosed federal tax revenues are running short and Congress requirements to raise the spending limit to keep paying the bills The package includes a trillion boost to nation s now trillion debt limit enough to fund operations for several more years