by Joshua Arnold at The Washington Stand
After two months of negotiation, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget resolution (H.Con.Res.14) that House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) estimates will result in $2.6 trillion in savings over the next 10 years. The vote marks “the kickoff in what will be a four-quarter game,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said ahead of the vote, “and that very important, very consequential game begins as soon as we get this thing passed.”
Even after so much negotiation, House Republican leaders were holding discussions with reluctant members “all the way through the close of the vote,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). “This morning, I was counting about 4 or 5 no votes, so the vote would not have passed this morning,” Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) said on “Washington Watch” before the Tuesday night vote.
“I know that the speaker has been working with the members that have concerns about their concerns and how to address them,” Perry added. “I think they are valid concerns. But … this is not the end of the process. It’s actually just kind of the beginning of the process. And so, to do anything, this is where we’ve got to get off the dime.”
The final vote tally was 217-215, with all Republicans voting for the bill except Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who joined the Democrats in opposing it. Republicans could afford to lose Massie’s vote because three Democratic representatives were absent.
The budget resolution declares Congress’s intention to cut spending by…
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