Top US House Republican Johnson says Trump agenda is not facing a setback

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives remains connected people to walk President Donald Trump's taxation measure astir the May 26 Memorial Day holiday, Speaker Mike Johnson said connected Monday, telling reporters that determination has been nary "setback" successful advancing the legislation.

"Everybody remains successful adjacent coordination connected the urgency of the hour, and we're trying to get it done. If it's not done earlier Memorial Day, it volition beryllium soon thereafter. But our timetable is connected pace," Johnson told reporters astatine the U.S. Capitol.

The Louisiana Republican acknowledged that the timetable is "very ambitious" but said House Republicans person not faced a setback, contempt the postponement of committee meetings needed to beforehand the bill's idiosyncratic programs. Republican lawmakers are divided implicit proposals including cuts for societal information nett programs including the Medicaid healthcare programme for lower-income Americans.

"It's not a setback astatine all. In fact, I deliberation it's precise productive," Johnson said. "We would alternatively instrumentality different week and bash it precisely close than unreserved it and person to set things later."

Johnson said a cardinal White House gathering with Trump had to extremity aboriginal owed to different events, preventing decisions connected immoderate aspects of the measure from being taken.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone)