Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday haltingly moved closer to advancing U.S. President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill, appearing at one point to overcome concerns over its cost that had been raised by a handful of hardliners.

A procedural vote to set up final passage for the legislation stalled as Speaker Mike Johnson worked to sway holdouts and meet Trump's July 4 deadline.

House Republican leaders struggled to find the final votes to advance Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending package, holding key votes open for hours as the president and his allies worked to win them over.