First Fox: President Donald Trump's “big, beautiful bill” measures aimed at cracking down on federal payments for abortion providers could bump into opposition topics from moderate House Republicans.
House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky. held a meeting on Sunday night that announced a portion of the GOP lawmakers and Republican settlement bill panel.
In the Cole's questions and answers section, RN.Y. Rep. Mike Lawler sought clarity on several aspects, including provisions for creating “large groups providing abortion services” that are not eligible for federal Medicaid dollars.
“You're coming across a Hornet's nest,” Lawler warned his colleague.
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Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump's agenda bill could refund “big abortion” last month (Getty/Reuters)
A New York Republican, one of three GOP lawmakers representing the district that Trump lost in 2024, questioned how those groups were defined and said they needed to “look over” the language, Fox News Digital also said.
Guthrie assured him that certain considerations were made in the language.
Lawler also pointed out that Hyde's amendment would already prevent federal dollars from heading towards abortion services, Fox News Digital said.
His concerns were echoed by others familiar with the House GOP discussion, given anonymity to speak freely.
The person told Fox News Digital that several moderate Republican lawmakers told employees they could oppose the final bill if the provisions were included.
“When it settled down, we're not fighting a new battle with abortion,” the person recalled the moderate argument.
Fox News Digital first learned last week's discussion of potential measures. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. hinted at the Republican plan in a speech at the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America gala last month.
Rep. Mike Lawler raised concerns about measures taken by abortion prevention providers on Sunday night. (Tierney L. Cross)
Johnson said the Republican bill would redirect funds from a “major abortion” to a “federal-qualified health center.”
The Act itself refers to “nonprofit organizations that are key community providers, which are primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health and related health care, and provides abortion.
The law excludes facilities that offer abortions only in the case of rape, incest or threats to the mother's life.
This is one of several efforts to keep spending down to pay for Trump's other priorities through the budget adjustment process.
House Republicans now have three voting margins that are thin on the razor. In other words, they can afford to pass anything without much dispute and without democratic support. They want to do it, and no Democrats are currently riding on a massive Trump Republican policy overhaul.
The budget and settlement process reduces the Senate's passage threshold from 60 votes to 51, lining up the House itself's simple majority threshold.
The settlement allows political parties to effectively skirt minorities and pass a wide range of laws.
Trump hopes Republicans will use pilots to tackle priorities regarding rising borders, immigration, tax, defense, energy and debt caps.
To that end, several committees of jurisdiction are working on certain parts of the bill, and are then put together into a massive vehicle for passing the House and Senate.
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Rep. Brett Guthrie chairs the home's Energy Commerce Committee (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, Getty Images)
With extensive jurisdiction in Medicare, Medicaid, communications and energy production, the Energy and Commerce Commission was tasked with finding at least $880 billion in spending cuts totaling between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion.
Guthrie said the bill, released Sunday evening, includes spending cuts for the “north”.
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In addition to measuring Medicaid funds for large abortion providers, the law also finds savings in instilling work requirements for certain healthy beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion.
Medicaid dollars are also being targeted, directed at states that provide taxpayer-funded health care to illegal immigrants.
It also eliminates certain Biden administration green energy subsidies, including former White House electric vehicle duties.
Fox News Digital has contacted the committee and Lawler's office to comment on certain measures.
