House Republican leaders were preparing to lose Tuesday night, forced to halt votes on a resolution aimed at serving as a framework for a massive bill to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.
However, minutes later, in a spectacular way, the lawmakers sprinted into the room of the nearly empty house. The GOP leader soon celebrated the narrow victory, with the resolution being adopted in the 217-215 vote, with only one Republican voted.
It was an incredible departure from the situation a few hours ago for several GOP lawmakers (Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Thomas Massie, R-KY). – It shows that everyone is against the bill.
Several people who have spoken with Fox News Digital in a few days since then believe that Trump has obtained the bill. Trump had made long phone calls with both Burchett and Spartz on Tuesday, Fox News Digital reported.
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President Donald Trump helped House Republicans patrol the budget bill, Fox News Digital said. (Getty Images)
“He answered my questions,” Burchet told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “He’s very persuasive.”
One person familiar with the discussion told Fox News Digital that Trump spoke with Burchett for 15 or 20 minutes on Tuesday afternoon, and that the discussion spoke with all his heart.
Spartz was then able to be seen on the home chamber of commerce phone during a previous unrelated vote.
Another source who spoke with Fox News Digital said Spartz asked Trump to speak to him before he supported the bill and made two calls with him.
Spartz refused to tell reporters how many times he spoke to Trump, and denied a Pack News report that the president yelled at her over the phone.
“That’s a complete lie,” Spartz said.
The third source is R-Minn. Credited House Maction Huse Whip Tom Emmer and helped him win Spartz on the line.
“Things got very emotional,” the source said as the leader focused his efforts on the Spartz for about an hour.
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) spoke on the phone with Trump on the house floor, Fox News Digital reportedly. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, Getty Images)
“Tom really reassured Victoria that everything was fine. People weren’t mad at her. He knows what to say,” the source said.
However, previous unrelated votes were open for 45 minutes past the 15-minute window. The vote, which was intended to be third in the series, was instead second and concluded.
Meanwhile, the three Democrats who were absent earlier in the day returned in dramatic ways. Rep. Brittany Pettersen D-Colo. invoice.
However, Spartz was sure. Shortly after the vote was cancelled, she told House Republican leaders she would support the resolution if she came to vote the next day.
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But instead of delaying voting for another day, the GOP leader made a brief call to get the lawmakers back on the house floor.
It angered Democratic leaders, but he sent a message to his Caucus. “After assuring House Democrats that there will be no more votes tonight, House Republicans are trying to jam through their budget resolution.”
Ten minutes later, the votes returned and lawmakers on both sides rushed back to their rooms.
Rep. Tim Burchett spoke with Trump earlier in the day. (Alex Won)
Burchett voted for the bill, and Spartz followed suit. Davidson, who also voted for Jesus, said he did so because he received a guarantee from the House GOP leader about the March 14 government funding deadline.
“I ultimately voted… I’ll avoid all this after receiving the necessary assurance that there’s a real reduction in discretionary spending,” Davidson told reporters.
However, GOP lawmakers who spoke with Fox News believed Trump had saved the bill with the persuasion of Burchett and Spartz.
When asked for comment, White House officials told Fox News Digital that the resolution was on life support until Trump saved it.
“As a master deal maker, President Trump has always been active in negotiations on Capitol Hill, and the budget bill was on life support until President Trump urged members of Congress to pass it,” White House officials said. “The House and Senate need to ensure that the final product includes all of the president’s priorities, but the budget passed this week has been a very positive step towards one big, beautiful bill that puts America first.”
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A spokesman for speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) introduced Fox News digitally in comments after the vote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Spartz’s office but did not receive a comment by submitting a deadline.
Elizabeth Elkind is the main reporter of Fox News Digital’s reporting in the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen on Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow me on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to Elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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