The House on Tuesday evening narrowly passed a budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing Trump administration priorities via the reconciliation process, to include spending $100 billion on defense over four years.
The 217-215 vote along party lines to pass the measure followed uncertainty in the House over Republican holdouts who sought deeper spending cuts, to include GOP leadership pulling the measure and then immediately putting it back on the floor when the necessary votes had been secured.
“Today, House Republicans moved Congress closer to delivering on President Trump’s full America First agenda — not just parts of it,” House GOP leadership wrote in a joint statement following passage. “This momentum will grow as we work with our committee chairs and Senate Republicans to determine the best policies within their respective jurisdictions to meet budgetary targets. We have full confidence in their ability to chart the best path forward.”
Ultimately, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was the sole Republican to vote against the budget resolution, citing concerns that the measure would add to the deficit.
The Senate passed its own budget resolution along party lines on Feb. 21, which supports a two-step approach to reconciliation that would start with a defense-border security-energy bill, to include $150 billion defense, before taking on a second measure focused on tax and spending cuts.
A version of this story was first published by Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily.
