Overview

• The House passed President Trump's budget bill on May 22, 2025, with a narrow 215-214-1 vote, enabled by three vacant Democratic seats.
• The deaths of Democratic Representatives Sylvester Turner, Raul Grijalva, and Gerry Connolly since March reduced the party's House presence from 215 to 212 seats.
• No Democrats supported the bill, which includes significant cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and food assistance programs.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the bill as 'generational' and 'nation-shaping,' while some Republicans dissented or were absent during the vote.
• The Democratic caucus is now facing internal pressure to address its aging leadership and consider reforms like term limits to prevent similar vulnerabilities.