The House Ways & Means Committee took a major step forward Wednesday morning in advancing President Donald Trump’s ambitious tax and spending reform package — part of what he’s calling "one big, beautiful bill." After a grueling overnight session that began Tuesday at 2 p.m., the committee approved its portion of the legislation in a 26-19 party-line vote.
The bill, which is being assembled by 11 different committees, aims to combine sweeping tax cuts and major reforms into a single legislative package. Alongside the Ways & Means Committee, the Energy & Commerce Committee also debated its section of the bill late into the night, with its meeting expected to extend into Wednesday afternoon.
The House Agriculture Committee began its portion Tuesday evening and adjourned around midnight, with plans to resume Wednesday morning.
Democrats tried to derail the process with a flood of protest amendments aimed at forcing Republicans into politically risky votes, but Republicans held firm, routinely rejecting the changes. The hours-long sessions have been marked by fiery exchanges, particularly during discussions on proposed Medicaid cuts.
At the Energy & Commerce Committee, protests erupted both inside and outside the hearing room. Twenty-six demonstrators were arrested by Capitol Police, with many of the protesters — some in wheelchairs — opposing cuts to Medicaid.
Inside the chamber, Democrats charged that the Republican proposals would eliminate lifesaving health coverage for millions of Americans. They cited personal stories from constituents who rely on Medicaid and accused the GOP of gutting the program.
Republicans pushed back hard, claiming that the plan targets only “waste, fraud, and abuse” in the system, not services for vulnerable groups. Committee Chairman Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) warned colleagues against using the term “Medicaid cuts,” saying it distorted the intent of the proposal. Democrats countered that avoiding the term was simply an attempt to mask the bill’s real impact.
The Energy & Commerce Committee alone was tasked with identifying $880 billion in savings to help fund the president’s broader fiscal agenda. Guthrie reportedly told fellow Republicans that they’ve found more than $900 billion in potential cuts.
As committee meetings continue into Wednesday, the next phase will involve merging the separate components into one comprehensive bill to be taken up by the full House.