House Republicans struggle to pass budget advancing Trump’s agenda

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• Amna Nawaz:

  More drama is unfolding on Capitol Hill this evening, as House Republicans struggle to pass a budget that would advance President Trump's agenda.

  For more on this, I'm joined by our Capitol Hill correspondent, Lisa Desjardins.

  So, Lisa, bring us up to speed on the latest. Where do things stand right now?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  This is a critical test for Speaker Johnson and the Trump agenda to try and get that agenda started.

  So let's take a look at the room across the hall from me now, the House chamber. The voting series has begun where this test on this budget framework will happen in coming minutes. Now, this is something that Republicans are hoping to pass tonight, but the truth is, this is close.

  They don't know if they have the votes. And this morning, Speaker Johnson himself hedged.

• Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

  So we're planning to take up our budget resolution as early as today, which is a major step, as you know, to unlock the process of delivering President Trump's America first legislative agenda. We're very, very close and we're excited about the progress and I'm very positive and I'm absolutely convinced we're going to get this done.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Here's what's in it, $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, about $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in spending cuts.

  Now, independent — the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget finances would add $3 trillion to the debt, including interest payments. Now, that's a problem for some on the right, who said that's a minimum of red ink.

• Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY):

  Under the rosiest assumptions. Why would I vote for that?

• Question:

  So are you solidly no?

• Rep. Thomas Massie:

  Yes, they convinced me. I was a lean no until this meeting. Now I'm a no. This is a no.

  (Crosstalk)

• Question:

  Why? Why? What…

• Rep. Thomas Massie:

  They're talking points.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Speaker Johnson can't lose more than one vote. That's also a problem on the left from those who are worried about Medicaid cuts — Amna.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Lisa, explain that a bit more, because this is a blueprint here, right? There's no specific cuts listed. So where did the concerns over Medicaid come from?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That's right.

  The largest area of targeted cuts includes Medicaid and essentially Medicaid's the only place with that amount of money in it. We saw protesters here at the Capitol today joining Democrats. Many of them told me Medicaid is a real concern for them.

• Amna Nawaz:

  And, Lisa, I know another story that you're watching on Capitol Hill, those are the allegations against Republican Florida Congressman Cory Mills. What should we understand about that?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That's right.

  Mills is a relatively new member of Congress. He's in his second term right now. Last week, police received a call from a woman, not Mills' wife, accusing him of assaulting her in a residence. They showed up. They investigated. She eventually said she recanted those. Although police say they saw bruises, she said that was a physical condition, a skin condition later.

  She and Mills both say no assault occurred, but police are still investigating it. Another reason this is important is because police moved to arrest Mills, and the U.S. attorney appointed by Trump did not sign that arrest order. So this Republican congressman was not arrested because of the U.S. attorney appointed by Trump. Mills says he's innocent. But this is something we're watching. It's highly unusual.

• Amna Nawaz:

  All right, Lisa Desjardins reporting from Capitol Hill tonight.

  Lisa, thank you.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  You're welcome.