President Trump jumped into the impending collision between the House and Senate in their quest to pass his agenda, officially backing the lower chamber’s plan in the process.
Both bodies advanced their own budget blueprints out of committee last week, offering different instructions that will guide lawmakers in creating legislation to carry much of Mr. Trump’s agenda.
House and Senate Republicans have clashed in their view of the best approach to pass Mr. Trump’s program, with the House GOP preferring one bill that crams everything under one roof while Senate Republicans aim for two bills.
Mr. Trump took to social media to laud lawmakers in both chambers for “working together as one unified, and unbeatable, TEAM,” despite offering dueling blueprints, but bucked Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham’s offering in favor of the House GOP’s plan because it “implements my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it!”
“We need both Chambers to pass the House Budget to ’kickstart’ the Reconciliation process, and move all of our priorities to the concept of, ’ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL,’” Mr. Trump posted. “It will, without question, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
His sentiment comes after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, teed up a vote this week on Mr. Graham’s budget plan, which includes $345 billion in funding for border security, immigration enforcement and defense needs.
House Republicans are expected to vote on House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington’s more sprawling and comprehensive plan next week.
The Texas Republican’s blueprint places all of Mr. Trump’s policy desires into one package and calls for $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to help offset $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. A deal was struck among hardliners in the House Freedom Caucus and Republican leadership to seek at least $2 trillion in cuts.
If committees cut more than $2 trillion, tax writers can go further with tax cuts. If they fall short of that line, the Ways and Means Committee’s ceiling for tax cuts also falls.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, and his leadership team doubled down on their commitment to passing one, colossal bill.
“From the outset of this process, we sought to ensure participation from every member of our conference and make clear that this resolution reflects our collective commitment to enacting the President’s full agenda — not just a part of it,” the lawmakers said in a statement.
“This is the start of the process, and we remain laser-focused on ultimately sending a bill to President Trump’s desk which, among other things, secures the border, keeps taxes low for families and job creators, restores American energy dominance, and makes government work better for all Americans,” they continued.
Their plan doesn’t perfectly align with Mr. Trump’s wishes. Indeed, most of the steep spending cuts are slated to come from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has been instructed to seek at least $880 billion in savings.
Lawmakers on that panel see no way to reach that benchmark without touching Medicaid, the health care program used by tens of millions of Americans under the committee’s purview.
In a joint interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the president and his DOGE bloodhound, Elon Musk, said Medicaid was not on the table.
“Social Security won’t be touched, other than if there’s fraud or something — we’re going to find it; it’s going to be strengthened — but won’t be touched,” Mr. Trump said. “Medicare, Medicaid, none of that stuff is going to be touched.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.