Inside the Late-Night Drama That Secured Trump’s Tax Bill by a Single Vote

Inside the Late-Night Drama That Secured Trump’s Tax Bill by a Single Vote

It was a tense Sunday evening when House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, caught reporters off guard in the Cannon House Office Building. Just before 10 p.m., he delivered surprising news regarding the fate of Donald Trump’s tax reform proposal.

The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation as the House Budget Committee prepared for its critical second meeting on the legislation, fondly dubbed Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” The first meeting, held on May 16, had ended in chaos, with four conservative members voting against advancing the bill due to their dissatisfaction with its provisions.

Representative Ralph Norman, a Republican from South Carolina, explained why he and others initially opted not to approve the budget. He emphasized the importance of improving the proposed legislation, indicating that their actions aimed to secure better provisions overall.

“We needed to refine the bill to ensure it was truly beneficial. That was why I, along with my colleagues, chose to halt the budget in hopes of gaining concessions,” Norman stated in an interview, reflecting on the strategic maneuvering that took place.

As the committee’s discussions progressed, they remained relatively uneventful, save for some objections raised by Democrats. Johnson returned to assure members that the deal was reached and expressed optimism for the upcoming votes. He stated, “Every Republican member will cast their vote to help us move forward, and we consider this a significant victory tonight.”

His prediction came to fruition as the legislation advanced strictly along party lines.

Strategic Moves by Conservative Lawmakers

Fox News Digital reported that the Republican conservatives anticipated a manager’s amendment, which offered flexibility to amend the legislation before the crucial vote by the House Rules Committee. This committee serves as the final gatekeeper for most bills before they reach the full House for a vote.

On May 20, Trump himself made a rare visit to Capitol Hill, urging GOP members to support the tax bill.

As the day unfolded, House leaders displayed confidence that a vote was imminent following the Rules Committee meeting. However, the session stretched on into the early hours, from a little after 1 a.m. until just past 2:30 a.m. on May 22. The tedious nature of the meeting, exacerbated by Democrats forcing votes on over 500 mostly symbolic amendments, left many lawmakers and reporters fighting to stay awake.

GOP Talks Hit Snags

During the lengthy discussions, tensions escalated as negotiations with Republican holdouts stalled. The House Freedom Caucus held an ad-hoc press conference shortly after Chair Andy Harris met with Johnson, acknowledging uncertainties about the upcoming week. “Leadership must figure out the next steps. I believe we see a potential pathway forward, although it might not materialize this week,” Harris commented.

Despite the concerns expressed, the issuance of the manager’s amendment late on May 21 did alleviate worries for numerous fiscal conservatives. This amendment increased funding for states that had not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, introduced additional tax relief for gun owners, and expedited the implementation of Medicaid work requirements.

Simultaneously, a faction of House Freedom Caucus members engaged with conservative senators, seeking assurances that they would advocate for substantial spending cuts once the bill reached the Senate. Norman noted, “We hope the Senate will intensify spending reductions in order to diminish the deficit.”

Legislative Tension Peaks

Even with the amendments in place, not all concerns vanished. Approximately three hours after the manager’s amendment was unveiled, Chip Roy, the Freedom Caucus Policy Chair from Texas, conveniently missed the critical vote in the House Rules Committee—an absence that raised eyebrows.

In the face of ongoing deliberations, House leaders called members back to prepare for a night of extensive debate and voting. Democrats, sensing they would be outnumbered if Republicans secured sufficient unity, attempted to stall proceedings through procedural maneuvers. A whip notice sent to House Democrats warned of Republican intentions to expedite final debates on H.R. 1.

To keep their party members close during the night-long session, Speaker Johnson arranged for snacks and coffee in an adjacent room, while others congregated in the House Appropriations Committee room, sharing cigars and refreshments.

Finalizing the Vote

As the night wore on, both Harris and Roy found themselves departing to engage in further discussions with White House staff ahead of the final vote. Harris explained, “The manager’s amendment moves us closer, yet we are still negotiating with the executive branch to ensure we align with the president’s goals regarding waste management in Medicare and Medicaid.”

When the moment of the final vote arrived, it appeared that previous negotiations had shifted Roy’s stance. Nevertheless, Harris opted to vote “present” rather than in favor of the legislation.

The final tally revealed just two Republican defections—Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio, both noted critics of Johnson. Davidson expressed, “While I support various elements of the bill, committing to future spending cuts does not immediately alleviate current deficit concerns. I cannot support this plan.”

Interestingly, two additional Republican representatives, David Schweikert from Arizona and Andrew Garbarino from New York, dozed off prior to the decisive vote but later confirmed they would have voted in support of the bill.

Celebrating a Narrow Victory

Ultimately, the tax bill advanced by a narrow margin of 215 to 214, triggering exuberant cheers among Republican lawmakers who relished the hard-fought victory. Johnson later declared, “Critics in the media and among Democrats consistently doubted our ability to enact President Trump’s America First agenda. Tonight, we proved them wrong once again.”

With this legislation now on the table, attention will soon shift to the Senate, where early discussions signal that substantial modifications may occur. Johnson encouraged his Senate colleagues to view the process as a collaborative effort and urged minimal changes, emphasizing that it would facilitate the bill’s passage to the president’s desk in due time.