House GOP Leaders Delay Holding Vote on Amendment to Budget Resolution

The House of Representatives held off on voting on the Senate's amendment to the House budget resolution bill Wednesday night.

Earlier on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) shepherded a procedural vote to passage in the lower chamber in a squeaker, 216-215, allowing for a floor vote to move forward:

🚨RULE PASSES — @SpeakerJohnson clears procedural hurdle for budget resolution

216-215

3 GOP nod.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) April 9, 2025

The three Republican nos came from Reps. Thomas Massie (KY), Victoria Spartz (IN), and Mike Turner ( Ohio); NBC News' Jake Sherman reported in an update on his X account that "Turner voted no after Johnson put language in the rule to cut off members' ability to disapprove of tariffs," per sources.

In a gaggle after the passage of the rule vote, Johnson confirmed, in response to a question from Fox News' Chad Pergram, on when a floor vote on a framework "to align with [the] Senate," that while "discussions" are still happening, he "intend[s] to have the vote by this evening," characterizing the discussions as "very positive." He continued:

Everyone is moving forward. And I’m really pleased with the dialogue.

When an unnamed reporter asked the Speaker whether the Senate has agreed to the House's proposed spending cuts, he said, "There’s a lot of good dialogue and discussion going on between leaders in both chambers," and that he believes "that we’ll continue that for the next couple of hours" on Wed. evening.

Debate on the legislation began about 30 minutes later. Then, just before 6 p.m. Eastern, members of the House Freedom Caucus- including Reps. Chip Roy (TX) and Tim Burchett (TN) were seen filing into Senate Majority Leader John Thune's office:

Happening now: Thune meeting with House GOP holdouts, including Burchett who has been warning he is a NO: “I don't know why we're bringing it up for a vote right now.”

McCormick: “It looks like there’s 15 members that are holding out right now, so unless something changes… “ pic.twitter.com/NFxaR1tjRP
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 9, 2025

Also in the Leader's office was Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), who said, according to Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News, "the meeting...was 'very positive' but wouldn’t say whether HFC members asked for commitments on spending cuts." Barrasso added, “The House and Senate Republicans are all on the same page. We’re all committed to serious and significant savings for the American taxpayer.”

On leaving Thune's office, Roy didn't provide comment, but according to CNN, he reportedly seemed less "BIG MAD, more irked."

Fox News' Tyler Olson reportedly spoke with Speaker Johnson, as he headed back to the House floor for voting to begin, who told him "[Pres.] Trump offered to make phone calls on budget pact," adding that Johnson said he thinks his caucus will “get the votes tonight."

Then, per NBC's Sherman in an X post, the Speaker was seen "taking a huge line of members somewhere. Norman, Burlison, Godard, Clyde, self, boebert, Burchett, Tiffany, cloud, Cammack, smucker, Perry, Harris...And I’d bet they’re getting a call from the president." He added that Roy was likely also in the group of potential nay vote members.

At nearly 7:30 p.m. Eastern, GOP leadership had held open the vote on a bill seeking to restrain federal judges for about 45 minutes, "to see if they have the votesas the next vote"--the budget bill. In the meantime, a "big meeting among Freedom Caucus members and leadership [has happening] off the floor."

The meetings continued for over an hour, then Speaker Johnson spoke to reporters on the impasse, saying, “I don’t think we’re going to have a vote tonight…maybe we take a little more time.” The vote would not happen, but be delayed. The soonest that leadership is looking to try again is early Thursday morning.

The process on Wednesday on the budget resolution vote comes in the wake of the Senate passing an amendment to the House CR in the wee hours of Friday, Apr. 4., with conservatives in the House giving more than a hint that the bill could have a rough road in the lower chamber this week.

This is a developing story. RedState will provide updates as they become available.

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