House Republicans are racing against time to secure enough votes for President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending bill as several GOP members remain undecided ahead of a crucial vote.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., defended the controversial bill in an interview with ABC News Live, acknowledging concerns about Medicaid changes while emphasizing what he sees as critical benefits for middle-class Americans.
“If I vote no on this, I’m voting to raise income taxes on everyone by about 20%,” Bacon said, explaining that for middle-class families in Nebraska, this would mean approximately $1,700 more in taxes annually. “For someone earning $50,000 a year, it’s $141 a month tax increase.”
Rep. Don Bacon walks to a vote, May 14, 2025, on Capitol Hill.
Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images
The legislation, which passed the Senate Tuesday with Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote, includes roughly $4 trillion in tax cuts and new spending on immigration enforcement. However, the bill faces significant opposition from both moderate Republicans and hardline fiscal conservatives in the House.
According to ABC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Jay O’Brien, House Speaker Mike Johnson lacks the necessary votes on Wednesday night to advance the bill. “The House floor is at a standstill,” O’Brien reported, noting that about a dozen Republican holdouts remain unconvinced despite direct appeals from Trump.
Bacon, while supporting the bill, expressed reservations about Senate modifications to the Medicaid provisions. “I do think the House bill is better,” he said, but defended the core changes as primarily focused on work requirements for able-bodied adults without small children.
“We’re trying to get people to work and get them back on employer insurance,” Bacon said. He emphasized that the most significant Medicaid reductions would come from implementing work requirements and auditing current recipients to ensure eligibility.
ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce reports that moderate Republicans are particularly concerned about estimates suggesting 11.8 million people could lose their insurance under the bill. Meanwhile, conservative opponents worry about the legislation adding an estimated $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.
Johnson told ABC News he remains “optimistic and hopeful” about passing the bill Wednesday night, though Republicans can only afford to lose three votes from their party to secure passage.
When pressed about Democratic criticism that the bill prioritizes tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of social programs, Bacon pushed back.
“The wealthy actually pay a higher share under this bill, and everybody’s getting about a 20% tax reduction.” He added that the percentage decreases for those earning over $100,000.
The House continued negotiations Wednesday night as it approaches the July 4 deadline, with both the child tax credit extension and national defense spending hanging in the balance.
