President-elect Donald Trump will meet with Senate Republicans Wednesday to attempt to get lawmakers “on the identical web page” on the best way to advance a few of his main coverage initiatives after he takes workplace on Jan. 20.
Trump will meet with Senate management and the rank and file after paying his respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who lies in state within the Capitol earlier than his funeral on Thursday.
The president-elect needs to ship on marketing campaign guarantees, however the best way to transfer them ahead has divided congressional Republicans.
Trump has pitched one large invoice that would come with a number of of Trump’s prime priorities: Immigration reform and power manufacturing, and lengthening the tax cuts handed throughout his first time period and different spending cuts. He is additionally prompt that the invoice ought to elevate the debt ceiling or eradicate it altogether.
Senate Minority Chief John Thune speaks alongside Sen. John Barrasso throughout a information convention following the weekly Senate Republican coverage luncheon on the Capitol, Dec. 10, 2024.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photographs
With small majorities in every chamber and little to no assist anticipated from Democrats, Republicans plan to push “reconciliation” — a fast-track course of restricted to spending and income laws that wants solely a majority somewhat than the 60-vote threshold within the Senate wanted to go laws.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson faces resistance to the one-bill method from fiscal conservatives in his convention. And a few Senate Republicans are advocating for 2 payments — one on border points and a second to take care of fiscal coverage.
One of many key targets in Wednesday’s assembly shall be “how we get on the identical web page with the Home,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso stated Tuesday.
Barrasso stated the “aim is identical,” whether or not it is finished with one or two payments, however he stated a two-part plan would enable Trump to ship on a few of his guarantees and permit extra time to deal with tax coverage that does not expire till the top of the yr.
“It was a suggestion by [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune — this was earlier than Christmas — he stated, ‘Let’s get an early win on the border,'” Barrasso, R-Wyo., stated. “It was a problem within the election and it’s a large situation for the American folks and it’s a large situation for nationwide safety, and we simply thought we may get that finished in a faster style with a deal with that, on taking {the handcuffs} off of American power in addition to navy energy, after which have the longer time to work on the monetary part of this.
“These points and the urgency of the tax situation would not actually come into play till the top of the yr to the extent that these different points have the upper urgency proper now,” he stated.
Trump reiterated his choice for one invoice when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, however stated he may reside with two.
“Nicely, I like one large, lovely invoice, and I all the time have, I all the time will, he stated. But when two is extra sure [to pass], it does go a bit of bit faster as a result of you are able to do the immigration stuff early,” he stated.
Within the Home, Johnson stated he stays satisfied that the one-bill technique is the “finest solution to go,” however conversations with Thune are persevering with.
“Sure, Chief Thune and I are on precisely the identical web page with regard to the targets, and we’re figuring out proper now the ultimate sequence of the play name, so to talk,” he advised reporters on Wednesday. “This isn’t some type of, I really feel like generally the media tries to make this an existential menace to the targets or to what we’re doing with the laws. It is not that, that is two chambers deciding the perfect sequence of occasions, and we’ll get to an ideal alignment right here within the subsequent I feel a few days.”
Johnson stated he hopes to have a invoice prepared by the primary week in April, nevertheless it stays to be seen if he can get fiscal conservatives in his convention, who’ve lengthy opposed all-in-one payments just like the one Johnson is proposing, on board.
The speaker pushed again on Tuesday concerning the one-bill method being a kitchen sink method.
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson joined by Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise talks with reporters concerning the Republican agenda forward of conferences this week with President-elect Donald Trump, on the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 7, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
“This isn’t an omnibus spending invoice, however appropriation,” Johnson stated. “That is lowering spending, which is an goal we talked about. I will maintain reiterating this: that simply because the debt restrict is raised, to provide stability the bond markets and to ship a message all over the world that we are going to pay the nation’s debt. We’re doggedly decided to lower the dimensions of scope of presidency and to restrict spending, minimize spending so you possibly can you will see each of these issues occur concurrently.”
Johnson additionally intends to deal with the debt restrict within the reconciliation invoice — with out Democratic assist.
“That manner, because the Republican Celebration, the get together answerable for each chambers, we once more get to find out the small print of that. If it runs by the common order, common course of… then it’s a must to have each events negotiating. And we really feel like we’re in higher stead to do it ourselves,” he stated Tuesday.
But it surely stays to be seen whether or not Johnson can promote the fiscal conservatives in his convention on that concept. They practically derailed the short-term authorities funding invoice to avert a shutdown final month after Trump demanded that it handled the debt ceiling.
After his assembly with senators, Trump will meet with teams of Home Republicans at his Mar-a-Lago membership in Florida this weekend.
“He is bringing in large teams of Home Republicans to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend three days in a row to satisfy with and speak with all of our group members about what’s forward of us and the challenges and the way we are able to accomplish all this collectively,” Johnson stated, although the speaker shouldn’t be anticipated to attend.
