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 may deal with his priorities, together with border safety, power and an extension of his signature 2017 tax regulation, two sources with direct information informed 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 or not to try to move one or two reconciliation payments to advance their agenda.
Reconciliation permits Congress to move party-line insurance policies associated to taxes and spending with easy majority votes, suspending the Senate’s traditional 60-vote threshold wanted to move 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 necessary as a result of some within the president-elect’s orbit, together with those that will probably be concerned in negotiating any bundle 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 is able to expire later this yr.
Trump’s endorsement of only one invoice will probably be welcome information to many in management however could possibly 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 organising 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, power,” Thune informed reporters final month. “And then come again with one other bundle that may deal with among the financial savings that may be achieved via reductions in price in numerous companies and bureaucracies and authorities applications after which additionally take care of the expiring Trump tax cuts in a bundle later this yr.”
Most Republicans in Congress have raised points with making an attempt two price range payments in a single yr via the wonky course of that enables them to bypass the 60-vote threshold. It could be a heavy raise unifying the occasion round two huge payments, they are saying, somewhat than only one, and will unnecessarily expend political capital. Lawmakers tasked with crafting tax coverage, who’re already plotting the tax bundle, are additionally frightened that splitting the payments into two would increase the value 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 workforce and Thune didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Sahil Kapur and Scott Wong contributed.