Republican congressional leadership told members to stay in D.C. through the weekend as the Senate gears up to vote on President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” before sending it back to the House.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, told fellow House Republicans “not to leave town” in a closed-door meeting as lawmakers try to get a bill to Trump’s desk before the Fourth of July recess.
Meredith Lee Hill, a reporter with Politico, reported on the social media platform X that Johnson told members to “keep your schedule flexible.”
“Leadership also asked members to alert them if they have weddings or other events to attend,” her post continued. “But ultimately, they’re in a waiting game as the Senate tries to clear the bill this weekend.”
She added, “Johnson also implied Republicans may have to go to conference if the Senate makes bigger changes that can’t pass the House that could take several more weeks.”
🚨Speaker Johnson told House Republicans “not to leave town” in their closed door meeting as GOP leaders race to pass the megabill by July 4
“Keep your schedule flexible” he said, re the July 4 recess
Leadership also asked members to alert them if they have weddings or other…
— Meredith Lee Hill (@meredithllee) June 24, 2025
A Tuesday report from Axios said that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, wants to start voting by this Friday on Trump’s bill, which could keep lawmakers through the weekend.
House members have been vocal about certain Senate changes to the bill and how they’ve watered down major provisions.
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These differences may force lawmakers to go to conference on the bill, which would see a committee consisting of lawmakers from both chambers banding together to hammer out an agreement.
If the bill does in fact go to conference, it could delay the passage of any legislation beyond the Fourth of July. Either way, the GOP will need a 51-vote majority in the Senate for passage.
“I think we get on it, and then we will plow through, and we’ll get into vote-a-rama and grind it out until — until whenever,” Thune said. “It’s just the nature of the beast at the end.”
This sort of political leadership is what America needs right now.
There are valid concerns about certain aspects of the bill being changed, or left out, that can be fixed through constructive communication.
It’s encouraging to see legislators not kick the can down the road, and sacrifice, to show the American people they are hellbent on getting results for the electorate.
Trump is the unquestioned leader of the party and he has asked Congress to find a way to get this bill over the finish line.
They have taken a very important first step. Yet only time will tell if they can save certain provisions that will produce positive changes and whip enough votes to turn theory into reality.
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