WASHINGTON — In a remarkable display of President Donald Trump’s power over lawmakers in his party, the U.S. House passed the GOP’s landmark tax and spending bill Thursday afternoon, sending the measure to Trump’s desk after quelling resistance from a handful of Texas Republicans.
The megabill’s rocky trip through Congress was marked by threats from hardline conservatives in the House, such as U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Austin, who signaled they might tank the bill for adding to the nation’s debt and failing to enact deeper cuts to clean energy tax credits. Meanwhile, moderate Republicans in purple districts were wary of cuts to safety net programs that their constituents rely on, leaving the bill with a narrow path through the lower chamber under the GOP’s slim 220-212 majority.
