Sen. Ron Johnson said on Monday that he doesn’t support the House-drafted GOP megabill — the latest reminder of the headaches awaiting the legislation across the Capitol.
“What we’re doing is, we’re looking at all the programs going, ‘We can’t touch that, touch that, can’t touch that,’” Johnson said of the House’s effort.
Johnson has repeatedly warned he would oppose the bill emerging from the House if it doesn’t go far enough to reduce the deficit. The House GOP bill, which faces a crucial stretch of committee work before a full vote on the floor next week, aims to reduce spending by least $1.5 trillion.
Johnson, in a separate Wall Street Journal op-ed published Monday, predicted that “much of that minuscule decrease will be backloaded to the end of the 10 years for which Congress is now budgeting, increasing the probability those savings will never be realized.”
Senate Republicans have pointed to that $1.5 trillion House target as their “aspirational” goal. But some, including Johnson, want to go significantly higher and return to “pre-pandemic” spending levels — or a reduction of roughly $6.5 trillion. Senate Finance Committee Republicans walked through the top lines of the House tax proposal during a closed-door meeting on Monday night, with Johnson indicating afterward that he was unmoved.
Republicans can lose three GOP senators on the floor and still let Vice President JD Vance break the tie to pass the bill. Senate Republicans have been working behind the scenes to try to reduce the areas of disagreement before the House takes the bill to the floor, but they are also expected to make changes to the bill.
Republicans believe they already have one no vote: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). If Johnson makes good on his threats, that would mean Republicans could only lose one other GOP senator. Several are being watched closely, including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Josh Hawley (Mo.).