Johnson faces short timeline to right the ship with fiscal hawks on reconciliation

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other House leaders face a short, daunting timeline to sway fiscal hawks who are keeping the “one big, beautiful bill” from passing through the Budget Committee.

The reconciliation package, which cuts $1.5 trillion to offset the cost of preserving the president’s 2017 tax breaks, failed in the Budget Committee on Friday after five Republicans voted against it. Four of the five were Freedom Caucus members who are displeased with the legislation’s timelines and ambiguity over raising the state and local taxes cap.