Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday afternoon advanced legislation containing cuts to Medicaid and health care provisions — some of the most controversial and

WASHINGTON – House Republicans defended a bill that would enact sweeping tax cuts, raise the debt ceiling, and add restrictions to benefit programs during a heated marathon day of committee hearings on Capitol Hill.

A growing number of House Republicans -- from moderates to hardliners -- threaten to undercut the package’s momentum ahead of an expected vote late next week.

Republican lawmakers are calling for work requirements, stricter eligibility verification and some co-pays.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro is warning that cuts to Medicaid health care would mean people losing access to the program and more rural hospitals shutting their doors.

After months of insisting they will not touch Medicaid, Republicans seem poised to do just that in their spending bill, under which 10.3 million recipients would lose coverage.

Looming cuts to Medicaid are much greater, with the federal Congressional Budget Office projecting this week that some 8.6 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage in the coming decade with at least another 5.1 million losing expanded Affordable Care Act Medicaid coverage due to new restrictions, including work requirements.

The Energy and Commerce Committee pulled an all-nighter debating the potential impacts of Republican proposals to change Medicaid, part of the GOP’s domestic policy megabill.