The House floor was in suspended animation all afternoon and evening and then again through midnight as GOP leaders held votes open. For a while, there were five Republicans voting against a procedural motion—enough to block the bill—and Trump was posting on social media to urge them to get in line. They relented after 3 a.m.

Opponents of the most regressive legislative proposal in a generation only needed four House Republicans to balk. That didn't happen.

The procedural "rule" vote was 219-213, with one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, joining all Democrats in opposition. At one point, five Republicans had voted "no" on the rule, while eight others did not vote, but Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., managed to sway them overnight.