House Republicans Steamroll Democrats in Race to Fund Mass Deportations

Speaker Mike Johnson said it would pass by Memorial Day. It might beat that deadline

WASHINGTON — When House Speaker Mike Johnson said not but a month ago that he wanted the Reconciliation Package—Trump’s “one beautiful bill”—to be voted on and passed by Memorial Day, most of us reporters rolled our eyes and smirked. With a House that could only afford to lose four Republicans, and many on the far-right fringe complaining the tax cuts weren’t extreme enough, it seemed Johnson faced an uphill battle to make the Memorial Day deadline.

Anyone familiar with the Congressional schedule knows Congress isn’t even in session on Memorial Day, May 26. Realistically, the bill needs to hit the floor and pass by May 22 at the latest. For that to happen, the Speaker would have to keep Congress in Washington until the bill passed—somehow, some way.