U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson reaffirmed his commitment to a “one big bill” approach to passing tax cuts and funding border security and the military, despite Senate Republicans unveiling a separate $340 billion budget plan.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Johnson emphasized that securing Republican consensus would take time due to the party’s narrow 218-215 House majority. He stressed the need to find savings to offset the cost of extending the 2017 tax cuts, set to expire this year, and other priorities like eliminating taxes on tips.
Senate Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham’s plan, released Friday, proposes $85.5 billion over four years for border security, deportations, and military funding, delaying tax-cut extensions to a later bill. However, Johnson insisted on a comprehensive package.
“We will get the job done, but it has to be the one big bill strategy,” he said. The House Budget Committee may delay consideration of the Republican budget resolution to refine key details.
Republicans aim to pass the fiscal legislation through a budget process requiring only a simple Senate majority, leaving little room for dissent. Extending current tax rates could cost over $4 trillion over a decade, with some estimates reaching $11 trillion.
Johnson assured that Republicans would seek budget savings and avoid adding to federal deficits. “We’re going to make sure we find the offsets to do this responsibly,” he said.
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