At a closed-door House Republican retreat Saturday morning, newly re-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., mentioned President-elect Donald Trump was in favor of passing a single reconciliation invoice that will handle his priorities, together with border safety, vitality and an extension of his signature 2017 tax legislation, two sources with direct information advised NBC News.
Since the November election, when Republicans took again management of the White House and the Senate and retained management of the House, GOP lawmakers have publicly debated whether to attempt to pass one or two reconciliation bills to advance their agenda.
Reconciliation permits Congress to cross party-line insurance policies associated to taxes and spending with easy majority votes, suspending the Senate’s normal 60-vote threshold wanted to cross laws.
With a razor-thin House Republican majority and a four-seat GOP Senate majority, Republican lawmakers would nonetheless have little wiggle room to lose GOP votes, even when passing legal guidelines utilizing reconciliation.
Johnson’s revelation that Trump is in favor of a single reconciliation invoice is vital as a result of some within the president-elect’s orbit, together with those that shall be concerned in negotiating any package deal like his immigration coverage adviser Stephen Miller, have been pushing Republicans for 2 separate reconciliation payments: one tackling immigration and the opposite specializing in Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which can expire later this 12 months.
Trump’s endorsement of only one invoice shall be welcome information to many in management however may very well be a blow to some hard-liners who need the border addressed instantly.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., endorsed a two-bill technique in December, and Republicans within the chamber have already begun establishing the method for a border-only reconciliation invoice.
“In my view, it is sensible to maneuver rapidly on issues we all know we will do rapidly — border, protection, vitality,” Thune told reporters final month. “And then come again with one other package deal that will handle a few of the financial savings that may be achieved by means of reductions in price in numerous companies and bureaucracies and authorities packages after which additionally take care of the expiring Trump tax cuts in a package deal later this 12 months.”
Most Republicans in Congress have raised points with making an attempt two funds payments in a single 12 months by means of the wonky course of that enables them to bypass the 60-vote threshold. It could be a heavy carry unifying the social gathering round two large payments, they are saying, relatively than only one, and will unnecessarily expend political capital. Lawmakers tasked with crafting tax coverage, who’re already plotting the tax package deal, are additionally nervous that splitting the payments into two would increase the worth tag of extending Trump’s tax cuts and add to the deficit — a purple line for a lot of within the GOP.
Spokespeople for Trump’s transition group and Thune didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Sahil Kapur and Scott Wong contributed.
