As House Republicans struggle to build near-unanimity to pass President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful” reconciliation bill, GOP leaders are trying to convince vulnerable Republicans that cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs won’t cost lawmakers at the ballot box in 2026.
Speaker Mike Johnson has long acknowledged that drafting a reconciliation bill would require some political flexibility from members. But just weeks after the House approved its budget blueprint, Johnson’s conference is trending toward missing its Memorial Day deadline as leaders struggle to build consensus on a number of issues.
In an early sign of the struggle, lawmakers on key committees have already delayed markups for their portions of the bill. And even as committees begin their markups this week, there are real questions about the final product.