The reconciliation package that House Republicans have been working to advance has hit a snag: It failed to make it out of the Budget Committee on Friday.
We knew it was going to be a close call. With Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) out on paternity leave, the math meant that it would only take two no votes to tank the bill.
In the end, there were five Republican no votes:
Smucker apparently changed his vote from yes to no, but even had he not, that would not have been enough to advance it.
Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump signaled his support for the measure, writing on Truth Social:
Republicans MUST UNITE behind, “THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!” Not only does it cut Taxes for ALL Americans, but it will kick millions of Illegal Aliens off of Medicaid to PROTECT it for those who are the ones in real need. The Country will suffer greatly without this Legislation, with their Taxes going up 65%. It will be blamed on the Democrats, but that doesn’t help our Voters. We don’t need “GRANDSTANDERS” in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE! It is time to fix the MESS that Biden and the Democrats gave us. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
But that apparently was not enough to rally the troops.
There is, however, a slight twist. It appears Rep. Smucker may have switched his "yes" vote to a "no" for strategic purposes:
From colleague Kelly Phares. GOP PA Rep Smucker originally voted yes. But switched to no on the budget package in cmte. That we he can ask for a revote. You must be on the prevailing side of the issue. So in this case, the nays. Therefore, this would allow the cmte to take a revote next week if they can get answers to their lingering questions
So, they may well regroup and give it another go next week.
This is a developing story. RedState will provide further updates as they become available.
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