Also in today’s updated edition of ‘Regular Order’ for May 22, 2025:
Senate GOP forces a new rules twist.
Dems slam Army Corps over budget plans.
Yet another death for House Democrats.
BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. In a major victory for Congressional Republicans and the White House, the U.S. House this morning voted to approve a massive tax and budget bill encompassing much of President Trump’s legislative agenda. "It's a very big win," said Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), as GOP lawmakers hailed the move to extend a series of tax cuts. "I think all of our colleagues will really like this final product," added House Speaker Mike Johnson.
TALLY. Republicans came within a whisker of failure. The final vote was 215-214, with one GOP lawmaker voting ‘Present.’ If Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) - the head of the House Freedom Caucus - had voted against the plan instead of voting ‘Present,’ the measure would have been defeated on a tie vote.
CLOSED DOORS. The GOP triumph came after days of intense lobbying by GOP leaders and President Trump. Speaker Johnson spent most of Wednesday in meetings - slowly convincing moderates and conservatives alike to get on board. "This is about getting this country back on track," declared House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
REPUBLICANS. With pressure from Trump, little by little, those arguments to stick together seemed to sink in yesterday, as GOP lawmakers rallied behind the massive plan - which included Trump’s call to end taxes on tips and overtime pay.
GOP. "This moment is years in the making," said Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE). “This is a bill that works for America,” added Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA). “I don't think it's a scam to prevent a 22 percent tax hike on average Americans,” added Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX).
OPPOSITION. Democrats sneered at the new GOP details and the timing. "Imagine a Big Bill so ugly that no one will vote for it, except in the dead of night," said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA). “This bill is just as bad in the dead of night as it is in the light of day,” added Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).
FINAL VOTE. When all the votes were tallied, only two House Republicans broke ranks and voted against the bill - Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio. No Democrats voted for it.
ATTENDANCE. All 212 House Democrats were here for the final votes. That included Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), who returned after missing several weeks due to a gallbladder infection.
FREEDOM CAUCUS. As lawmakers arrived on the House floor for a series of procedural votes after midnight, the normally talkative and combative members of the House Freedom Caucus had almost nothing to say to reporters. It was almost like they knew - that we knew - that they knew - that we knew - that they were going to fold.
HOUSE FLOOR. While there were fireworks in debate, the outcome never seemed in doubt as lawmakers worked through the night. Republicans munched on snacks in a ceremonial room just off the House floor, as some lawmakers napped between votes. There was no sense of drama.
FINE PRINT. The latest GOP changes to the bill were unveiled just before 9 pm last night, after the House Rules Committee had been in session for nearly 20 hours. Final debate on the House floor didn't get underway until around 1 am.
SCHEDULE. It was the third late night this week on this sweeping GOP package. The Budget Committee approved the plan late on Sunday night. The Rules Committee debate started last night at 1 am. And the final vote took place just after sunrise today.
H.R. 1. What was added at the last minute to the GOP plan? First, you can read through the final 42 pages of changes at this link. It’s not easy to figure out what the legislative text really means, so here’s some bullet points:
MEDICAID. The biggest change was speeding up the effective date of new work requirements under Medicaid. Those would take effect in 2026, instead of 2028.
CLEAN ENERGY. Green energy tax breaks approved by President Biden now have to be in service by 2028 to qualify for tax credits.
SALT. The deal on the state and local tax deduction will take the limit from $10,000 to $40,000 per year.
LIMIT. But at the same time, the GOP plan now includes a new limit on itemized deductions for those in the top 37 percent tax bracket.
LAND SALES. Stripped out of the bill was a GOP provision which put thousands of acres of federal lands up for sale in Nevada and Utah.
FEDS. The final deal removed one retirement benefits change for federal workers which would have calculated pensions for the highest five years of salary, as opposed to the current highest three years.
SAVINGS. The 'MAGA' savings accounts proposed in this bill will instead be named 'Trump' accounts. (I'm not kidding.) Five full pages of the bill were nothing but replacing the word 'MAGA' with 'Trump.'
ABORTION. One of the biggest last-minute GOP changes would ban insurance plans - under the Obama health law - from covering abortion-related services for women. "Congress should be defending women's reproductive freedom, not attacking it in the dead of night," said Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME).
OBAMA HEALTH LAW. Other GOP changes will likely increase premiums for insurance under the Obama health law. That could also increase the number of people forecast to lose their health coverage.
BLUEGRASS. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) - who voted against the GOP budget reconciliation bill - posted this meme about the measure. It was a reminder that Republicans have often complained about giant bills being dumped on lawmakers with little time for review before a vote, plus GOP calls for ‘single subject’ bills.
SASSY. Given time by Democrats during the debate, Massie accused the GOP of using 'funny math' in putting together a package which will increase the federal deficit. "If something is beautiful, you don't do it after midnight," said the Kentucky Republican, who has drawn the scorn of President Trump.
DEFICITS. Other conservatives readily admitted that the GOP package will increase the federal deficit in the short term. “Deficits do matter,” said Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), the only other Republican to vote against the plan.
FORECAST. The House vote took place without any final review by the Congressional Budget Office on the cost of this package. But outside budget groups all agree it will add more red ink for Uncle Sam - in the trillions.
SENATE. Next stop for this debate is the Senate, which will likely take up its own version of the reconciliation package in June. The over 1,000 page House bill also will go through a review by the Senate Parliamentarian, which could result in a number of policy provisions being chopped out of the bill.
PING PONG. The GOP goal remains getting a final bill to the President’s desk by July 4. The likely next step is the Senate passing a different version - and the House simply accepting that.
PARLIAMENTARY NERD NOTE. While House Republicans were busy last night trying to pass the GOP reconciliation bill, Senate Republicans launched a highly technical rules fight in a bid to reject more stringent clean air and auto emissions standards from the state of California. Democrats cried foul, saying this was not the 'regular order' of business.
RULES. At issue are three waivers to the Clean Air Act, which allow California to enforce stricter vehicle emissions standards. GOP Senators - working with the Trump Administration - came up with a parliamentary plan which they argue allows Congress to force votes on those California plans and stop them.
GOLDEN STATE. One of the waivers which has drawn the most attention basically allows California to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. Opponents say that type of 'Green New Deal' plan for electric vehicles should not be forced on the rest of the country.
CRA. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can block Executive Branch rules and regulations. But these California Clean Air Act waivers are not a federal rule, and have never been subjected to repeal votes under the CRA. Republicans want to change that.
POINT OF ORDER. "This is like a double nuclear option," grumbled Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). But the Senate voted 51 to 46 last night to reject objections from Democrats to the GOP change in precedents. “This is so gross,” said Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
PARLIAMENTARIAN. With this move, did GOP Senators overrule the Parliamentarian? Sort of yes, but sort of no. Instead of voting to overturn the decision of the Parliamentarian, Majority Leader John Thune set up votes to have the Senate decide this procedural question directly - like this:
QUESTION. “Shall joint resolutions that meet all the requirements of Section 802 of the Congressional Review Act or are disapproving of agency actions which have been determined to be a rules subject to the Congressional Review Act by a legal decision from the Government Accountability Office, be entitled to expedited procedures under the Congressional Review Act?”
PANDORA’S BOX. This move could certainly open the door to challenges against all sorts of other federal program waivers - without having to worry about the Senate filibuster. I'm not sure it is the nuclear option, but it certainly is a substantial change in the precedents of the Senate. And now it's the new regular order.
ARMY CORPS. Officials from the Army Corps of Engineers got an earful at a House hearing on Thursday. Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) blasted the Corps for authoring a 2025 spending plan which erased all money for water infrastructure projects in California. "The truth is clear," Levin said. "This is political retribution, plain and simple."
BLUE TO RED. Democrats have been furious about the new Army Corps plan, which eliminated nearly $500 million in funding from Blue states, shifting about $250 million in water projects to Red states. "This is what I think a lot of us feared," Levin told Corps officials. "This is a lousy precedent."
EARMARKS. Because the Congress did away with all home state local projects in an extended government funding package approved back in March, the Army Corps had to decide what to fund. And the White House budget office made sure that California did not benefit.
CALIFORNIA WATER. Speaking of California, President Trump again this week repeated a series of completely false statements about water resources there. Trump keeps saying that he directed billions of gallons of irrigation water to Los Angeles to help put out wildfires.
TULARE LAKE. In reality, the Army Corps released water into a dry lake bed - as it didn’t go anywhere near Los Angeles. It’s the most bizarre thing. Does Trump really believe what he’s saying? Does no one have the guts to tell him that he’s wrong?
ICE FIGHT. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) made her initial court appearance on Wednesday on charges that she assaulted federal officers during a brouhaha outside an ICE immigrant detention facility in New Jersey. McIver appeared via video hookup from D.C., as lawmakers awaited action on a major tax and budget bill.
SUPPORT. McIver has won support from all corners of the Democratic Party. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) let the New Jersey Democrat use her campaign fundraising list to raise money off her arrest. "It's a flashing red light for our democracy," McIver said, labeling the charges, 'politically motivated.'
EXPEL. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Wednesday filed a resolution to expel McIver from office. "McIver didn't just break the law," Mace said in a written statement, "she attacked the very people who defend it."
REBUKE. There is little chance that a two-thirds majority of the House would vote to boot McIver from office - but I would expect Republicans to maybe force a vote on a censure, just to keep up the public pressure on McIver.
STATE. For a second straight day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio tangled with Democrats in Congress about cuts in foreign aid and immigration policies of the Trump Administration. Rubio defended a new get tough policy from the Trump White House which has revoked visas for students who speak out against U.S. foreign policy stances.
REVOKE. "If someone is coming up here to stir up problems on our campus, we're going to revoke their visa," Rubio told Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who complained about the feds tossing out one student for writing a critical op-ed piece about American policy.
UKRAINE. Democrats on Wednesday urged Rubio to take a harder line in peace talks involving Russia and Ukraine. "Clearly, Putin is giving the middle finger to President Trump," said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA). "Putin's Russia is a threat to global stability," Lieu added.
GAZA. Lawmakers also pressed Rubio to do more about relief for Palestinians in Gaza. "Mr. Secretary, Gaza is starving," said Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), imploring Rubio to help send in more food. Protesters in favor of that aid then interrupted the hearing.
HUMOR. There was at least one moment for a joke. A day after Rubio was blasted by Senate Democrats, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) had fun with one of Rubio's extra titles. "I am deeply disappointed and find your performance as the National Archivist extremely underwhelming," Moskowitz said with a straight face.
CONNOLLY. There was sad news on Wednesday, as Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) died from cancer. The well-liked veteran lawmaker from Virginia had recently given up his position as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. He was 75 years old. Connolly is the third House Democrat to die in a little over two months.
DEATHS. This is a crazy stat. The last 8 lawmakers in Congress to die in office have all been Democrats. It's a streak which stretches back to 2022. Just in the past 13 months, 6 House Democrats have died, age 65, 70, 74, 75, 77, and 87.
WHOLE NUMBER. The House now has 432 members: 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats. The three vacant seats were all held by Democrats who died this year, Reps. Connolly (VA-11), Raul Grijalva (AZ-7) and Sylvester Turner (TX-18).
MAJORITY. Think about it this way. If Republicans had suffered three deaths this year - they would have been close to losing control of the House.
STAKEOUTS. It has been a pretty wild last few weeks around the Capitol. This is what it looked like on Wednesday when Speaker Johnson came back from an extended meeting at the White House. On the left, you can see the reporters waiting. On the right, I didn’t have much of a view - from the back - as the Speaker arrived.
SENATE FLOOR. As Senators were taking yet another vote last night, the ambient noise of the Senate chamber was suddenly interrupted by giant cheers coming from the Republican cloakroom. "Indiana must have won," Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said from the chair. She was close. Indiana had just tied their NBA playoff game to send it to overtime.
MUSE OF HISTORY. May 22, 1941. On this date, Rep. Carl Curtis (R-NE) unveiled a plan to stop any American vessels from delivering supplies to countries involved in World War II. That came as Republicans accused FDR and Democrats of trying to get the U.S. involved in Hitler's war. "We tried the noble experiment in 1918 of making the world safe for democracy, and it was a huge failure," said Rep. Robert Rich (R-PA). "Let us not try this again."
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
The House is back for votes on June 3.
The Senate meets at 10 am.
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Bless you for staying up all night. What a recap!
Valuable enough that it convinced me to become a paid subscriber. Excellent summary and Hank’s for the link to the actual text of the changes and additions.