House Republicans are on the brink of forcing a vote on President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping legislative package that includes everything from spending cuts and border security to a critical increase in the debt ceiling. But as tensions mount inside the GOP conference, the party is facing its own deadline: get it done before it explodes.

After meeting with the president and key members of the Freedom Caucus at the White House, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise suggested the vote could happen overnight. That turned out to be overly optimistic. Between procedural hurdles and late-stage negotiations, the earliest likely vote is now Thursday morning.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is taking no chances. Late Tuesday, he introduced a “manager’s amendment” to fine-tune the bill and win over lingering skeptics, especially from within the right flank. The Freedom Caucus has signaled growing support—but it’s not unanimous.

Democrats, meanwhile, are gearing up to throw sand in the gears. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could deploy time-burning floor maneuvers, like extended “Magic Minute” speeches, which allow party leaders to filibuster at will. Speaker Kevin McCarthy once used that tactic to speak for over eight hours. Jeffries might do the same to stall Trump’s bill.

There’s also the risk of surprise adjournment votes. If Democrats try to suspend the session, Republicans will have to scramble to keep their members on the floor. Leadership fears the longer the bill sits, the more time opponents have to peel off support. One senior GOP aide warned, “It can’t fester. The longer this hangs out, the worse it gets.”

Still, Speaker Johnson and Trump believe the moment is now. “This bill has been argued to death,” said one senior aide. “It’s time to vote. If they’re not with us, we want them on the record.”

Johnson originally said he wanted the bill passed before Memorial Day. With the holiday fast approaching, the pressure is intense. Some lawmakers, like Reps. Mike Lawler and Thomas Massie, are still holding out. Even after Tuesday’s meeting with Trump, they indicated they weren’t yet convinced.

That might not matter. Republican leaders could launch the vote even without a firm majority lined up, and then work the floor to “grow the vote.” This was a common tactic under former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay—start the vote without the numbers and then apply pressure in real time.

And if needed, Trump himself may jump back into the fray. A direct call from the president could be enough to flip a few reluctant “no” votes, especially among members facing reelection in Trump-heavy districts.

Should the House succeed, the fight then moves to the Senate. Majority Leader John Thune wants the bill passed by July 4, but the legislative path is far from smooth. Any changes in the Senate mean the bill must return to the House. That back-and-forth could stretch well into July.

And the stakes are massive: the bill includes a debt ceiling hike the Treasury says must be enacted by early August. Miss the window, and the U.S. risks default. Pass it, and Trump scores one of the biggest legislative wins of his presidency.

Whether this becomes a Republican triumph or another intra-party implosion will hinge on the next 48 hours. Either way, the political world is watching.