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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has been praised by Republicans and commentators for his role in passing Donald Trump's budget bill.
The more than 1,000-page bill, which Trump dubbed his "big, beautiful bill," was passed 215-214 on Thursday morning after weeks of back-and-forth negotiations with representatives.
If passed, the bill would implement about $4.9 trillion in tax breaks, budget cuts, and new work requirements for Medicaid, among other budgetary changes.
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Why It Matters
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was key in securing the razor-thin majority as before the vote, some Republicans had voiced unease about passing the bill.
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Some expressed concerns about constituents losing critical benefits, while other hardliners called for further budget cuts.
Before Thursday's vote, Johnson and Trump met at the White House with a group of GOP holdouts to convince them to vote in favor of the bill. In the end, two Republicans voted against it.
He told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday before the vote: "I believe we're going to land this airplane. The 'America First' agenda is wrapped up in this one big, beautiful bill."
What To Know
After the vote, commentators praised Johnson.
Republican Representative Virginia Foxx told the New York Times she was going to nominate Johnson "for sainthood."
"I'm going to nominate him for sainthood, because he now has done many miracles here as speaker," Foxx said.
Bill Speros senior betting analyst, wrote on X: "Mike Johnson is the best closer since pre-2004 Mariano Rivera."
The White House's X account posted: "Great job by Speaker Mike Johnson, and the House Leadership, and thank you to every Republican who voted YES on this Historic Bill!"
Meanwhile, Eric Daugherty, a Florida journalist, said Johnson had "landed the plane and passed key elements of the Trump agenda."
However the bill was also criticized by Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement following the vote: "The GOP Tax Scam rips healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected."
They added: "This fight is just beginning, and House Democrats will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that the GOP Tax Scam is buried deep in the ground, never to rise again."
What People Are Saying
At a press conference, Johnson said: "This is a big day. We said on the House floor: It's finally morning in America again."
"Today, the House has passed generational, truly nation-shaping legislation to reduce spending and permanently lower taxes for families and job-creators, secure the border, unleash American energy dominance, restore peace through strength and make government work more efficiently and effectively for all Americans," he added.
What Happens Next
The bill will now go to the Senate, where changes are expected before it reaches Trump's desk.
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