WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump has been meeting with House Republicans amid hesitation over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to enact the president’s signature legislative agenda by a July 4 deadline.
“Negotiations are over. The White House made it clear,” Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) told NTD, The Epoch Times’ sister media outlet, on July 2.
The president has been meeting with moderates, including Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).
He is also meeting with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, such as Reps. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).
“The Senate’s version adds $651 billion to the deficit—and that’s before interest costs, which nearly double the total. That’s not fiscal responsibility. It’s not what we agreed to,” the group wrote on social media platform X on June 30.
Meeting with Trump eased some lawmakers’ apprehension about the bill according to Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) chair of the business-minded House Main Street Caucus.
“The president is the best closer in the business, and he got a lot of members to yes,” Johnson told reporters at the U.S. Capitol after the White House meeting.
Some members feared the Medicaid provisions of the bill could lead to a loss of coverage by their constituents or could harm financially strapped rural hospitals.
“The president walked through the specifics which made members feel a lot better,” Johnson said.
The bill aims to curb recent abuses of the Medicaid system and provides additional financial help for struggling rural hospitals.
These payments allow states to pay higher rates to providers than would normally be allowed under the program. Those payments were put into place last year, according to Johnson, and are not a longstanding revenue source for providers.
The system has allowed states to abuse Medicaid by reducing their own costs at the expense of the federal government, Johnson said.
States have been looking for ways to offset expenses given the 100 percent increase in Medicaid costs over five years, and that has led to an abuse of state-directed payments according to Johnson.
By increasing the payments, states can increase their reimbursement from the federal government, more than offsetting the cost.
Discussions also took place concerning a rural hospital stabilization fund that the Senate added to the bill. This sets aside $50 billion dollars to be distributed to designated small hospitals that provide critical services and are at least 35 miles from another hospital.
The House is set to hold a key procedural vote to advance the bill in the coming hours. Depending on attendance, Republicans can afford to lose only a handful of votes, given that all Democrats are expected to vote against the measure.
Stormy weather has been a factor, although only one Democrat was absent for a procedural House vote—a motion brought forth by Democrats.
“Weather’s been a little complicating fact,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) told NTD.
“Flights were canceled yesterday, some started driving back,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). “So we’re tracking those members, and as soon as they’re back in, then we’re good to go.”
House Republican leaders have stressed the importance of the bill.
“President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill is an economic lifeline for working families,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) said in a statement.
“It blocks the largest tax hike in American history from hitting parents and workers who spent the past four years struggling with the over 20 percent spike in prices of the Biden Administration on everyday necessities like groceries, gas, and utilities, and provides them with an additional, immediate tax cut.
“As I have said before, failure is not an option. House Republicans will not allow the 2017 Trump tax cuts to expire, which would mean 91 percent of taxpayers would see their standard deduction cut in half, the Child Tax Credit reduced by half for 40 million parents, and 2 million family farmers and small businesses hit with higher estate taxes.”
Smith said Republicans will not give up.
“House Republicans will not stop fighting for the American people until we deliver this bill to President Trump’s desk,” he said.
Lawrence Wilson and Nathan Worcester contributed to this article.
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