Disagreements Among Congressional Republicans Slow Reconciliation Process
Mar 10, 2025
Republicans in the House and Senate are working to reach an agreement on a final budget resolution that will be the blueprint for a massive bill that would move through a special legislative process known as “reconciliation,” allowing the bill to be enacted without any support from Democrats. Both the House and Senate have adopted their own budget resolutions (see Memo, 3/3 and 2/24), but in order to begin drafting the legislative text, both chambers must first adopt the same budget resolution.
The House’s proposal would enact many of the Trump Administration’s top priorities, including providing over $4.5 trillion in additional spending for defense, immigration enforcement, and extending tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that were included in the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017” (TCJA) and are slated to expire later this year. To help pay for this new spending, the bill also calls for at least $2 trillion in cuts to federal spending, primarily targeting Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as clawing back funding provided in the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” and other provisions.
The Senate passed their own “skinny” budget resolution that would advance some of the Administration’s priorities around defense and border security while modifying Medicaid and SNAP in the name of cost savings by enacting burdensome new requirements for participation. The Senate’s resolution would be the first of two reconciliation bills aimed at advancing the Trump Administration’s priorities, while the House resolution attempts to address all of the Administration’s priorities through one massive bill.
While President Trump has stated he would prefer Congress enact “one big, beautiful bill” containing all of his Administration’s priorities, disagreements among Republicans are making it difficult for negotiators to reach an agreement on a final resolution. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), who hold leadership positions in key Senate committees, are calling for the TCJA extensions included in the House blueprint to instead be made permanent without offsetting costs, which would significantly drive up the price tag of the bill.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) also noted he would like to see additional spending cuts beyond the minimum of $1.5 trillion set in the House’s outline. However, with growing concern about, and public opposition to, the potential for significant cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other vital safety net programs, some Republicans are beginning to voice concerns.
While housing assistance has not been named as a potential target for cuts, the anti-poverty programs being considered play a crucial role in economic stability for people and families with low incomes, helping them put food on the table and receive necessary medical care. The financial assistance these programs provide also promotes housing stability by helping families afford the cost of food and other necessities so that more money is left over at the end of the month to ensure rent is paid. States can also use Medicaid to cover health-related social needs, including housing.
The threats to Medicaid, which serves over 7.2 million low-income people around the country, have triggered widespread outcry from advocates, including people who rely on Medicaid for healthcare and other needs. Public opposition to the proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP is pressuring moderate and swing-district Republicans to express concerns about the bill to leadership; as negotiations continue, it will be crucial for advocates – especially those in Republican districts and states – to keep up the pressure on their members of Congress to vote against any reconciliation bill that would cut vital safety net programs.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness launched a Take Action page for advocates to quickly and easily contact their elected officials and urge them not to support cuts to Medicaid. Take action here: tinyurl.com/3c2ntnnw.