Speaker Mike Johnson advised Republicans on Saturday that President-elect Donald Trump desires one reconciliation bundle, as a substitute of the deliberate two that Republican management has been pushing, three folks within the room the place discussions occurred advised POLITICO.
Johnson’s message got here as Republicans are assembly behind closed doorways at Fort McNair to map out their technique for passing a sweeping border, tax and vitality bundle that would be the coronary heart of their legislative agenda. Trump advised Johnson that he desires “one big beautiful bill,” the Louisiana Republican recounted on the retreat, per three lawmakers.
Trump’s determination is a break from Senate Majority Chief John Thune’s pitch for a two-bill technique that may have seen Republicans go a border and vitality invoice first adopted by a tax invoice. Johnson had additionally beforehand indicated there could be two payments — although that was seen as extra of a deference to Trump’s perceived choice and a approach to notch fast wins for his agenda. Thune stopped by the Home GOP retreat on Saturday, an individual acquainted confirmed to POLITICO.
Trump’s determination is a win for Home Methods & Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) who has pushed for Republicans to go one invoice as a substitute of two, Smith and his allies warned that separating the tax bundle out into its personal reconciliation invoice risked them not passing in any respect. Republicans have main divisions to bridge on tax technique and border and vitality are seen as sweeteners to assist wrangle GOP votes.
Smith is likely one of the lawmakers presenting plans to rank-and-file GOP members via a sequence of panels Saturday. Smith stayed behind after New Yr’s Eve celebrations at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago for conferences on reconciliation, in accordance with two Republicans.
Trump’s spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Johnson additionally met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on New Yr’s Day, the place they talked about technique for 2025. Johnson has been tightlipped concerning the assembly however some Home Republicans over the previous few days have indicated that they more and more anticipated to finish up on the one-bill technique and that it was backed in some corners of Trump’s orbit.
Republicans advocating the two-track technique touted it as a approach to rating a win inside the first month of the administration on one of many social gathering’s main priorities — the border — whereas additionally giving Johnson extra time to assist pad his skinny margin since he’ll quickly lose two members to the Trump administration, bringing his majority all the way down to 217 members for the quick future. That technique had high-profile supporters, past Thune, together with incoming White Home deputy chief of employees for coverage Stephen Miller, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and members of the Home Freedom Caucus.
It additionally throws a curveball into the Home-leadership-struck settlement to lift the debt ceiling below reconciliation. Home GOP management advised members as a part of final 12 months’s authorities funding negotiations that they might increase the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion as a part of the primary reconciliation bundle and minimize $2.5 trillion in spending as a part of the reconciliation course of.
However GOP leaders have but to hammer out a plan throughout each chambers and coordinate with Trump, in accordance with three folks conversant in the continuing conversations. They’re discussing a number of choices, together with to take care of the debt ceiling as a part of reconciliation, as Republicans had beforehand mentioned.
“There is still a lot to figure out on debt limit,” an individual conversant in the continuing reconciliation conversations acknowledged.
However GOP members largely saved any issues to themselves Saturday morning, with Republicans able to defer to Trump’s technique preferences.
“No one is fighting it. If that’s the Trump call, that’s the play we will execute,” mentioned one GOP lawmaker.
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