Republican leaders in the House are sprinting toward a Wednesday vote on President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts package, determined to seize momentum from a hard-fought vote in the Senate while essentially daring members to defy their party’s leader and vote against it. It’s a risky gambit designed to meet Trump’s demand for a July 4 finish.
Here's the latest:
Democrats use parliamentary tactics to present a united front
With limited time for debate, scores of Democrats are weighing in on the House floor with their opposition to Trump’s tax and spending cut bill.
One by one, the lawmakers are lining up and making a simple request: Amend a resolution before the House to protect against any cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who is presiding over the chamber, is forced to explain to each speaker that he cannot entertain the request because of an objection from Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who is leading the debate for Republicans.
Under House rules, the requests being made by Democrats must be cleared by majority and minority leadership before the chair will recognize them.
Democratic members know their effort is doomed, but the tactic gives them a chance to show their unity before the cameras and get their request defending Medicaid and SNAP into the Congressional Record.
Republican lawmakers leave White House meeting
Rep. Stephanie Bice posted a video of her and Rep. Dusty Johnson leaving the White House after conversations with Trump.
“I think we’re going to get it done, although it’s going to take a little bit of time today,” Johnson said.
Bice added, “Hopefully we can get this wrapped up by the end of the day.”
Education grants in limbo were used for a ‘radical leftwing agenda,’ the Trump administration says
The administration this week withheld more than $6 billion for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, adult literacy and more, saying it would review the grants to ensure they align with Trump’s priorities.
The Office of Management and Budget said in a statement Wednesday that “many of these grant programs have been grossly misused.”
It says New York schools have used money for English language instruction to promote organizations that advocate for immigrants in the country illegally, and that Washington state used the money to direct immigrants without legal status toward scholarships that were “intended for American students.”
The agency says grant funds have also been used for a seminar on “queer resistance in the arts.”
GOP Rep. Jason Smith says he texted Trump to ‘encourage’
Trump on Wednesday shared on social media a text he received from Smith, in which the Missouri Republican thanked Trump for his “vision, leadership and determination.”
Smith tells the Associated Press he has heard Trump shared his text, and that he communicates with the president “quite often.”
“My text message to him this morning was to encourage,” said Smith. He added that he’s “never worked with someone in the executive that is engaging as much as President Trump.”
Air defense missiles are among the weapons the US is withholding from Ukraine, AP sources say
The Trump administration will hold back delivering some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons to Ukraine as part of its announced pause to some arms shipments. This comes amid U.S. concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said.
The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a U.S. official and former national security official familiar with the matter. They both requested anonymity to discuss what is being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details.
The pause includes some shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and Howitzer rounds. One official said other weaponry being held up includes the AIM-7 Sparrow, Stinger missiles and AT-4 grenade launchers.
Defense Department official Elbridge Colby says Pentagon officials have aimed to provide Trump “with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end.”
___
By Associated Press reporters Aamer Mahdani and Lisa Mascaro.
The White House says arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico fell 30% during June
The Border Patrol made 6,070 arrests in June, down from 8,725 in May, setting a pace for the lowest annual clip since 1966.
On June 28, the Border Patrol made only 137 arrests, a sharp contrast to late 2023, when arrests topped 10,000 on the busiest days.
Arrests dropped sharply when Mexican officials increased enforcement within their own borders in December 2023 and again when then-President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June 2024.
They plunged even more after Donald Trump became president in January, deploying thousands of troops to the border under declaration of a national emergency.
AOC says ‘Do the math’
Liberal leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Trump often mocks her intelligence. But you don’t have to be smart to assess the deal they’re getting under the bill, she said.
For example, the bill offers no taxes on tipped income up to $25,000. Compare that to losing health care and food stamp cuts, she said.
“Is that worth it you?”
“Losing all your health care? Not being able to feed your baby?”
Trump meets with GOP lawmakers at the White House
The president is holding the meetings with Republican lawmakers as he works to push his legislative agenda over the finish line, according to two White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss private conversations.
Trump was meeting with moderate representatives in the Cabinet Room and is also expected to talk with members of the conservative Freedom Caucus.
A final vote in the House could come today, which would be the final step before Trump signs the legislation.
— Collin Binkley and Chris Megerian
More from the House debate on Trump’s bill before key procedural vote
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Florida Republican, said voters wanted change for one simple reason. It was too expensive to live in America.
He said the bill was designed to help those very people hurt in the last four years.
“People who earned tips, who earned overtime, people who earned Social Security get a big tax cut,” he said.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and former speaker, took aim at what Republicans are calling the “one, big beautiful bill.”
“If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then GOP, you have a very blurred vision of what America is about,” Pelosi said. “Is it beautiful to cut off food from seniors and children?”
She also invoked her own personal path about coming to Congress to stand up for children.
The House opens debate on Trump’s big bill — and it’s fiery
Debate has begun on the bill — actually, the procedural debate for considering the bill — and lawmakers aren’t holding back.
“This is robbery,” said Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee.
He said it’s taking from the nation’s most vulnerable to provide tax breaks for the rich.
“It is cowardly, it is a betrayal of everything this country is supposed to stand for,” he said.
But Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of Pennsylvania said the package will ensure Trump’s 2017 tax breaks don’t expire at the end of the year.
“This isn’t extreme, it’s not partisan it’s proven policy,” he said.
He highlighted the bill’s higher child tax credit and other expanded tax breaks.
“Let’s get this country back on track,” he said.
Democrats say they’ll vote ‘hell no’ on GOP bill
Democrats have struggled to find a unified message since their key defeats in the 2024 election. But on Wednesday morning, nearly every member of the caucus stood shoulder to shoulder on the Capitol steps, rallying behind Leader Jeffries.
“Every single House Democrat will vote hell no against this one big ugly bill,” Jeffries said to a roaring applause from behind him. “And all we need are for House Republicans to join us.”
House Republicans head to White House for meeting
Some of the more conservative members of the House Republican conference say they’re heading to the White House to talk about their concerns with the president’s tax and spending cut bill and its impact on future deficits.
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina says he’ll be a no “unless something changes” on a procedural vote that Republicans will need to pass to get to a vote on the bill. He says he won’t be assured by promises of spending cuts on subsequent bills.
Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said once again lawmakers were hearing “a line ‘let’s pass this and we’ll fix it later.’”
“We never fix it later, and America knows that,” Burchett said. “It’s the same game.”
He also said he’s unconcerned about meeting Trump’s self-imposed deadline of signing the bill on July 4th, this Friday.
“I don’t care if it’s July 40th, honestly,” Burchett said.
Trump shares details of his trade negotiation with Vietnam
In a follow-up social media post, Trump said Vietnam will pay the United States a 20% tariff on all goods sent “into our Territory” and a 40% tariff on any transshipping.
Transshipping usually means exports that come from China but pass through Vietnam to dodge tariffs on Chinese goods.
In return, Vietnam will grant the U.S. “TOTAL ACCESS” to its market for trade, Trump said, meaning “we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff.”
He added that he thinks SUVs “will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam.”
Trump said he reached the agreement after speaking with Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam, which he said was an “absolute pleasure.”
Trump announces US trade deal with Vietnam
He made the announcement on his Truth Social media platform.
“I just made a Trade Deal with Vietnam. Details to follow!” the president said.
It comes just before a July 9 deadline by Trump to formally set the tariff rates on goods from dozens of countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows ‘there will be no Hamas’ in postwar Gaza
President Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The U.S. leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire, and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war.
Hamas said in a brief statement Wednesday that it had received a proposal from the mediators and is holding talks with them to “bridge gaps” to return to the negotiating table to try to reach a ceasefire agreement.
▶ Read more about the war in Gaza
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries naming names
House Democrats are calling out Republicans from competitive districts as they try to drum up opposition to Trump’s big bill.
“All we need are four,” Jeffries said, referring to the number of GOP defections that would likely defeat the bill.
Jeffries mentioned several Republicans from closely divided districts, including two from Pennsylvania.
“Why would Rob Bresnahan vote for this bill? Why would Scott Perry vote for this bill?” he said.
House Democrats are gathering on the steps of the Capitol to denounce the Republican bill
“Shame on Republicans for even bringing this bill to the House floor,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to stop it.”
Trump’s supposedly empty schedule
The president’s public schedule is blank today, but it’s unlikely he’s doing nothing. With his big tax cut and spending bill back at the House, Trump is likely working to bring Republicans on board with advancing the legislation.
Some House members roadtrip it to DC for tax cuts vote
With treacherous weather hampering flights into Washington, a handful of House members hit the road overnight to make it in time for Wednesday’s votes.
Two GOP members from South Carolina, Reps. Russell Fry and Nancy Mace, chronicled their journey on social media.
Democrats also racked up the miles. Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi drove, hosting a Zoom townhall during his 14-hour drive. Reps. Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania and Derek Tran of California drove together after being stranded in Pittsburgh.
Tesla sales fell 13% in the last three months as anti-Musk sentiment still has an effect
Sales of Tesla electric cars fell as boycotts over Elon Musk’s political views continue to keep buyers away, a significant development given expectations that anger with the company’s billionaire CEO would have faded by now.
The plunging sales add to growing signs that Musk’s embrace of Trump and far-right politicians in Europe has had a deep and enduring hit to the Tesla’s brand appeal. The new figures also are a possible sign that Tesla could disappoint when it announces second quarter earnings later this month. In the first three months this year, net income fell 71%.
Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same period last year. During this period, Musk formally left the Trump administration as a cost-cutting czar and hopes rose that sales would recover.
▶ Read more about Tesla’s falling sales
Pilots who bombed Iran’s nuclear sites will be Trump’s guests for the Fourth of July
Trump is hosting a Fourth of July celebration at the White House on Friday and the pilots have been invited.
The Air Force will conduct a flyover of F-22s, B-2s and F-35s, the same aircraft that were used in the strikes in Iran.
Trump has said the pilots are “incredible.”
Analysis shows Trump’s tariffs would cost a critical group of US employers $82.3 billion
That sum could be potentially managed through price hikes, layoffs, hiring freezes or lower profit margins.
The analysis by the JPMorganChase Institute is among the first to measure the direct costs created by the import taxes on businesses with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue, a category that includes roughly a third of private-sector U.S. workers.
These companies are more dependent than other businesses on imports from China, India and Thailand — and the retail and wholesale sectors would be especially vulnerable to the import taxes being levied by the Republican president.
The findings show clear trade-offs from Trump’s import taxes, contradicting his claims that foreign manufacturers would absorb the costs of the tariffs instead of U.S. companies that rely on imports.
▶ Read more about the analysis on Trump’s tariffs
Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ’60 Minutes’ interview
In a case seen as a challenge to free speech, Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Trump over the editing of CBS’ “ 60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October.
Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology.
Trump’s lawyer said the president had suffered “mental anguish” over the editing of the interview by CBS News, while Paramount and CBS rejected his contention that it was edited to enhance how Harris sounded. They had sought to get Trump’s lawsuit dismissed.
There was no immediate word from the White House about the settlement of the case, which Trump filed in Amarillo, Texas.
▶ Read more about Trump’s lawsuit over the “60 Minutes” interview
Trump urges House Republicans to vote for his tax and spending cuts package
The encouragement comes as the Republican-controlled House sprints toward a vote Wednesday on the bill after it cleared the Senate by the narrowest of margins a day earlier.
Vice President JD Vance, in his role as Senate president, cast the tie-breaking vote on the measure.
Some House GOP members have voiced reservations about the bill. House Democrats are united in their opposition to the legislation.
“Republicans, don’t let the Radical Left Democrats push you around. We’ve got all the cards, and we are going to use them,” Trump said in a post on his social media site.
