Republican lawmakers are hammering out the best way to implement a massive conservative policy overhaul in the upcoming Trump administration.
Congressional Republicans seek to use the budget reconciliation process which lowers the Senate threshold for passing bills from 60 to 51 votes making it easier for the party holding power, even by a slim majority, to make sweeping changes.
But, not all GOP lawmakers see eye-to-eye on how the overhaul should be implemented.
Donald Trump is among Republicans who favor a one-bill approach to tack on the issues of “border security, defense, spending cuts, tax cuts and energy,” Fox News reported.
While Freedom Caucus members disagreed, claiming two separate bills are needed to tackle the monumental problems America faces. The Freedom Caucus’ proposal would raise the debt ceiling by two years, or approximately $4 trillion. The Caucus presented its proposal to Trump, who said he’d be open to two bills and is waiting on his feedback, according to Fox.
The two-separate bills approach would focus on “commitment from congressional leadership on dollar-for-dollar savings over 10 years across both reconciliation bills and appropriations bills,” a caucus member told Fox News.
$100 billion would be allocated for border security and $200 billion would go for defense across four years under the first bill while spending cuts would offset the tax breaks given in the second bill, according to Fox sources.
The Freedom Caucus also aims to cut Biden policies including, but not limited to, extra IRS funding, student loan programs, and electric vehicle tax credits, Fox reported.
Members of the Republican House Ways & Means committee argue that putting Trump tax cuts in a second bill would leave a large gap letting the provisions Trump passed in his previous term to expire, and essentially raise taxes for Americans, Fox reported.
It was also previously pointed out by Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) that two separate reconciliation bills haven’t passed in one term since the 1990s, according to Fox.
While the debt limit is being addressed by the Freedom Caucus who seek to use their plan to tackle the issue, other Republicans are reportedly spooked to touch on the hot-button topic given the GOP’s super-slim majority.
It will only take one Republican “no” vote to shoot down any legislation that doesn’t get Democrat support.
The House Freedom Caucus released its proposal where it received mostly positive feedback on X:
BREAKING: House Freedom Caucus reconciliation proposal is out.
– 4 years of funding for border wall, Patrol, ICE, $100B
– REPEAL OF: EV mandate, IRS funding, student loan bailout
– Work requirements for welfare
– Unleash oil/gas/mining on federal lands
– $4T debt limit… pic.twitter.com/AtGluh68v8— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 16, 2025
I particularly like “Make illegals and OTHER aliens ineligible for welfare”. NO non-citizen in this country should EVER be eligible for welfare whether here legally on a visa or not. If you can’t support yourself, you need to go back where you came from.
— Digracer (@Digracer1967) January 16, 2025
“$4T debt limit increase over 2 years with “commitment” on dollar-for-dollar savings over 10 years”
They are going to keep spending us to oblivion. ♂️
— EinTN (@realeric_h) January 16, 2025
Sounds like a good start. No benefits to illegals is hugely important. Requiring work is also good. Welfare should be a temporary gap bridge not a lifestyle.
Lots of good stuff in there.
— Free To Speak (@FreeToSpeak71) January 16, 2025
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