Payam Javan: In a narrow 217-215 vote, the House of Representatives has approved a Republican-backed budget resolution, marking a critical step in advancing former President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. The plan includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, while increasing spending on defense and border security.

To balance these expenditures, the blueprint calls for $2 trillion in spending reductions over the next decade, a move that could significantly impact federal programs such as Medicaid. The measure passed without any Democratic support, and Republican Representative Thomas Massie was the sole GOP lawmaker to vote against it.

The resolution serves as a foundation for implementing Trump-era tax policies, including the extension of tax cuts introduced in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. However, the plan is expected to face hurdles in the Senate, where lawmakers hold divergent views on tax policy and government spending.

The razor-thin margin in the House vote highlights the delicate balance within the Republican caucus, underscoring the challenges of unifying lawmakers around a budget that aligns with competing fiscal priorities.