5 months ago
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Republicans in the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a multi-trillion dollar government spending bill on Tuesday, a major boost for President Donald Trump that advances his 2025 agenda.
The BBC says the 217-215 vote was seen as a key early test for Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, who cancelled an earlier vote as it appeared he did not have enough support.
Several Republicans wanted more fiscal discipline from a budget that includes US$4.5 trillion in tax cuts, funded partially by spending cuts but also by potentially increasing the US government’s substantial debt pile.
But the bill eventually passed along party lines, with all Democrats voting against and just one Republican opposing it. That Republican was Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a prominent fiscal hawk who wanted deeper spending cuts.
One Democrat did not vote.
The House budget seeks US$2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years to pay for President Trump’s agenda.
It includes more than US$100 billion in new spending on immigration enforcement and the military.
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