Key GOP votes withhold support from House plan despite Trump’s backing
by Mychael Schnell - 02/19/25 6:45 PM ET
Three key House moderates told The Hill on Wednesday that they are still not on board with the chamber’s budget resolution, even after President Trump endorsed it earlier in the day.
Reps. David Valadao (R-Calif.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said they still have concerns about potential cuts to Medicaid, which some GOP lawmakers are eyeing to pay for the cost of tax cuts and other provisions in the massive package.
It’s a concerning sign for GOP leaders as they try to corral the conference around the measure ahead of next week’s vote. Republicans can only afford to lose one vote if all members are present and the entire Democratic caucus votes “no,” which is expected.
“I’m leaning no on the resolution as-is, minus getting clarity on my concerns,” Malliotakis said shortly after Trump endorsed the House GOP’s single-bill plan over a rival Senate GOP two-bill plan.
“I’m glad to hear that he agrees with me that we need to protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, but it doesn’t eliminate my concerns with the specific resolution put forward by the House or my need for clarity before next week’s vote,” Malliotakis said.
Valadao, who represents a purple battleground district, said “there’s probably 10 [Republicans] that are really nervous about the situation,” signaling that the concerns are not confined to the three Republicans speaking out.
“Until I know exactly what’s going to be in, or what this is going to look like, or at least have some pretty good idea, I’m really concerned with this,” he added. “But it sounds like the president and myself and others are on the same page, we don’t want to touch Medicaid. We want to make sure that we’re all on the same page. If he’s on the same page as me, that makes me feel a little bit better about it.”
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5154428-moderate-republicans-oppose-house-budget-resolution/
