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Megabill 2.0? These House Republicans have some ideas.

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A major House GOP faction unveiled its framework Tuesday for a new party-line Republican policy bill that aims to slash the costs of housing and health care.

Among the slew of proposals under the Republican Study Committee framework is the “Don payment” — a program creating a new zero-to-low-down-payment option for mortgage shoppers. The plan would also create new tax-advantaged “health freedom accounts” that would allow Americans to directly receive federal subsidies for insurance.

In addition, the plan suggests cutting energy costs by accelerating the permitting process and refilling the Department of Energy’s strategic oil reserve with “discounted Venezuelan oil.” Overall, the framework would include cuts of $1.6 trillion to government spending.

“There’s three major things that I think are threatening the American dream right now: housing costs, health care costs and energy costs,” said Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), the RSC’s chair, at a Tuesday news conference. “We’ve got to get this done. We know we have a narrow window of time.”

While the release of the framework signals buy-in from a large swath of House Republicans, a second massive party-line bill is sure to create further divisions within the GOP’s slim House majority. The chairs of critical House committees, including tax-writing chief Jason Smith (R-Mo.), have expressed skepticism that there’s a path forward under the multistep budget reconciliation process.

Vulnerable Republican moderates are especially wary of further changes to health policy as they maneuver to fight to keep their seats in November and defend against Democratic attacks on the Republicans’ steep cuts to Medicaid enacted last year.

While Speaker Mike Johnson has not yet endorsed the RSC plan, he told reporters Monday that he hopes to do a narrower reconciliation bill in 2026 and that GOP leaders would work to build internal consensus around potential policies in the coming weeks.

Republicans’ House majority has dwindled in recent weeks with the retirement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and the death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California. Other members have been absent for health reasons, making the GOP’s control of the chamber especially tenuous.

But Pfluger said, with the help of President Donald Trump, complete unity is within reach for the House GOP, and he called on the White House to get on board.

“I hope that they take note of this plan,” he said. “When the president says, ‘Let’s go do this,’ I think … skepticism will fly out the window.”

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Congress

Senate GOP ready to move on elections bill

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Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told reporters Monday the chamber will vote Tuesday to take up a House-passed elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.

The Wyoming Republican, whose job it is to help round up support, said he is “doing everything I can to make sure we get on this bill tomorrow.”

Republicans will need a simple majority to begin debate on the partisan legislation; they can lose three members and still let Vice President JD Vance break a tie.

So far, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has said he’s a “no,” while Republicans are also watching GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

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Jesse Jackson’s family withdraws posthumous endorsement in Illinois Senate primary

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The family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson walked back a posthumous endorsement of Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s Senate campaign on Monday, after the family said Jackson’s endorsements for Tuesday’s primaries were not completed before his death.

On Saturday, Stratton’s campaign touted an endorsement from Jackson, who died last month, and his son Yusef. The announcement came after Stratton saw Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Jackson family’s organziation, passing out sample ballots — which were also obtained by Blue Light News — that recommended Stratton.

“[Jackson’s] example has been a north star for me, and I’m deeply honored to have received his trust, support, and endorsement before his passing,” Stratton said in a statement on Saturday.

But on Monday, Yusef Jackson, who is the organization’s COO, said the draft sample ballot was “released without authorization” and that the Jackson family and Rainbow PUSH Coalition are not making political endorsements this cycle.

His father “began the process of reviewing candidates and identifying those he intended to support in the upcoming primary election,” Yusef Jackson said in the statement. “However, given his passing just over a month ago, the process was never fully completed. Out of respect for my father, we decided not to publicly release his intended selections given the process had not been finalized.”

The Stratton campaign said on Monday that officials with Rainbow PUSH Coalition said she had been endorsed by Jackson.

“Juliana spoke on Saturday at Rainbow PUSH for a Women’s History Month event and officials told her she received the endorsements. Organizers shared the sample election ballot that was already being distributed and encouraged her to share the news,” the Stratton campaign said in a statement.

The endorsement mix-up draws further scrutiny on the split among Black Democrats in Illinois between Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), who are both seeking to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Some Democrats in the state have expressed concern that Stratton and Kelly could split the vote in Tuesday’s primary, creating a path for Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) to win the nomination.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) told Blue Light News prior to the family’s statement that his father “never got in on Black-on-Black fights.”

Jonathan Jackson added that the races the late Jesse Jackson “was excited about” were himself and former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s comeback bid.

“He wouldn’t do that. He was always pushing the community forward,” Jackson said. “This smells of desperation.”

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Johnson on Trump’s Hormuz plan

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Speaker Mike Johnson said he supports President Donald Trump’s effort to build a global coalition ensure safe passage of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz — even if Trump “didn’t anticipate it” being necessary before launching airstrikes against Iran.

Speaking to reporters after attending a Washington event with Trump, Johnson said the president told him that “he anticipated the strait of Hormuz would be closed.”

“I don’t know that he didn’t anticipate it in the front end, but now it’s necessitated,” Johnson said. He added that the coalition is “a reasonable thing” for other countries to assist with and “it would be helpful.”

Asked about how much a potential supplemental package to fund the military action would cost, Johnson said, “We don’t know yet.” Estimates for the cost of the war have exceeding $1 billion per day.

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