WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson has outlined an ambitious strategy to address President-elect Donald Trump’s request for passing his agenda in one comprehensive bill. This plan will put his slim Republican majority to the test.
Johnson, a representative from Louisiana, announced that the bill, to be passed along party lines, will cover border security, energy, manufacturing incentives, and tax policy. He aims to include an extension of the debt ceiling in this bill and hopes to pass it through the House as early as the first week of April.
However, achieving this in a House with a narrow majority of 219-215, which is expected to shrink further with two GOP members joining the Trump administration, presents a significant challenge. Johnson will have to avoid losing a single vote without Democratic support until the vacant seats are filled.
To navigate the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, Republicans plan to utilize the budget reconciliation process for the extensive Trump agenda package. This approach bypasses the need for Democratic votes in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 53 seats, with Vice President JD Vance set to break any ties.
While some senators suggest dividing the bill into two parts for easier passage, Johnson and Trump prefer a unified approach. Despite differing opinions between the House and Senate on the reconciliation process, Johnson remains optimistic about achieving their goal.
Renewing Trump’s expiring tax cuts poses a challenge, with Sen. John Kennedy highlighting the complexity of this task. Alongside addressing tax issues, immediate action on border security is a priority for some lawmakers and Trump allies.
In the coming weeks, House and Senate Republicans plan to introduce various immigration and border security bills to address these concerns. Both one-bill and two-bill strategies have their proponents and detractors, as lawmakers grapple with the best approach.
As discussions continue, Sen. Lindsey Graham warns about the importance of prioritizing border security for national security reasons. The Senate Majority Leader, John Thune, acknowledges the ongoing deliberations on whether to proceed with one comprehensive bill or split it into two parts.
“The results are far more significant than the process,” he informed the press. House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri, confirmed that Trump’s preference for a single bill has been accepted, stating, “The House will proceed with one bill. The decision has been made.”
There are constraints on the bill due to the 50-vote reconciliation process, which mandates that the package adhere to strict regulations related to taxes and spending. Any parts of the reconciliation bill that do not meet these criteria can be challenged by senators from either party under the “Byrd Rule.” The Senate parliamentarian is tasked with determining if these provisions pertain to taxes and spending; if not, they are removed. Overruling the parliamentarian is an option to bypass this, but many Republicans, including staunch members like Sen. Ron Johnson, are hesitant to take that route, as it could jeopardize preserving the filibuster.
Johnson’s proposition to use the party-line bill to raise the debt ceiling further complicates matters. This is an issue that typically necessitates Democratic support, which many Republicans are reluctant to seek. Some members of the GOP majority have never voted to increase the country’s borrowing limit and prefer to focus on cutting spending rather than changing policy.
Rep. Chip Roy of Texas emphasized the need for significant cuts before considering any increase in the debt ceiling. He stressed the importance of reducing deficits and achieving deficit neutrality through the reconciliation process. However, accomplishing this goal will be challenging with a bill expected to add trillions to the national debt by extending the 2017 tax cuts and including additional proposals.
Potential obstacles for Republicans include the departure from their usual preference for smaller, single-subject bills and the necessity for negotiations among party leaders for such a large package. Some conservatives argue that legislation should be developed at the committee level rather than by party leadership.
While Trump initially advocated for one comprehensive bill, he later expressed openness to a two-bill strategy during a radio interview, acknowledging differing opinions within the party. Despite the efficiency of a single bill, Trump recognized the potential benefits of a two-bill approach in advancing his agenda.
With that being said, we’d get some border work done a little bit earlier, et cetera, et cetera.” Kennedy said Trump and Republicans need to make that decision quickly and get to work. “I just want to know what the president thinks. I just want to have an agreement. Again, I’m not wedded to either one bill or two bills,” the Louisiana Republican said. “I just think we need to all get in the same room and say, OK, here’s our game plan. And some will be happy, some will be sad. Because there’s some people that feel strongly in the Senate that we ought to split them up. But I understand the House’s position too. We can probably clear a lot of that up with the president, with a phone call.”
