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.

Republicans are steering clear of dramatic Medicaid cuts in their spending bill, instead opting for smaller changes backed by moderate and swing-state members who had balked at the prospect of slashing a program that covers more than 70 million low-income and disabled Americans.

New mandates proposed for megabill would likely force states to revamp how they finance their programs or cut benefits.