Good Luck Mike Part Deux

Created
Mon, 06/01/2025 - 07:30
Updated
Mon, 06/01/2025 - 07:30
I’m afraid that’s exactly what they will be proposing. Trump wants a “one big beautiful reconciliation package.” Speaker Mike Johnson told Republicans on Saturday that President-elect Donald Trump wants one reconciliation package, instead of the planned two that Republican leadership has been pushing, three people in the room where discussions took place told POLITICO. Johnson’s message came as Republicans are meeting behind closed doors at Fort McNair to map out their strategy for passing a sweeping border, tax and energy package that will be the heart of their legislative agenda. Trump told Johnson that he wants “one big beautiful bill,” the Louisiana Republican recounted at the retreat, per three lawmakers. Trump’s decision is a break from Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s pitch for a two-bill strategy that would have seen Republicans pass a border and energy bill first followed by a tax bill. Johnson had also previously indicated there would be two bills — though that was viewed as more of a deference to Trump’s perceived preference and a way to notch quick wins for his agenda. Thune stopped by the House GOP retreat on Saturday, a person familiar confirmed to POLITICO. […] Every step of the process will require near unity among congressional Republicans, who are currently working with only a one-vote margin in the House. “We can’t lose anyone,” Smith said in a brief interview after the GOP retreat. Easy Peasy. All they have to do is agree to take a wrecking ball to all government spending, including mandatory spending like…