Trump pressures House Republicans to support tax, spending bill

WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged House Republicans to support his "big, beautiful" tax and spending bill, as some party members remain hesitant to back it.

Trump visited Capitol Hill to personally appeal to House Republicans, some of whom remain hesitant about certain aspects of the proposed bill, such as tax cuts and changes to the healthcare program. Meanwhile, conservative hardliners advocating for more substantial spending cuts are met with strong backlash from moderate Republicans.

The bill would extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, implement no taxes on tips and overtime work, and cut Medicaid coverage and food assistance programs. It also includes 50 billion U.S. dollars to renew construction of Trump's border wall, and roughly 150 billion dollars in defense spending.

Overall, the bill would add more than 3.3 trillion dollars to the debt over the next decade with interest, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The House of Representatives may vote on the reconciliation package, or the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act," later this week.

House Republicans now hold 220 seats, giving them a narrow majority over the Democrats, who hold 213 seats. There are currently two vacancies due to the deaths of two Democratic Representatives in March.