Speaker Johnson Advocates for House Approval of Trump-Backed Senate Budget Bill Amid GOP Concerns Over Insufficient Spending Cuts – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
11:05 AM – Sunday, April 6, 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson is working to unite GOP lawmakers in support of a budget bill that the Senate passed on Saturday morning, amid concerns from several House Republicans about potential defections.
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“Over a year ago, discussions started in the House about a reconciliation package aimed at reducing the deficit, securing our borders, keeping taxes low for families and businesses, reestablishing American energy leadership, restoring peace through strength, and making our government more efficient and accountable to the American public. We are now closer to reaching these objectives,” Johnson (R-La.) stated in a letter to House Republicans.
“Today, the Senate approved its version of the budget resolution. The House will deliberate on the Senate’s amendment next week.”
Johnson cannot afford more than three Republican defectors as the GOP maintains a 220-213 majority in the House.
Meanwhile, several House Republicans have criticized the Senate’s budget, contending that its proposed $4 billion in budget cuts falls far short of the House’s target of at least $1.5 trillion.
“If the Senate’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ budget is brought to the House floor, I will vote against it,” Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) posted on X.
Representative David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, labeled the Senate’s budget resolution as “seriously inadequate.”
“To say that I’m disappointed with the Senate’s budget resolution would be an understatement. We face an existential threat to both the short-term and long-term prosperity of America that demands a serious solution. The Senate budget resolution’s proposed $4 billion in cuts—less than a single day’s borrowing—represents the same old business as usual at a time when we need to break that pattern,” Schweikert remarked.
“As Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, I’ve remained dedicated to scaling back the size and expense of the federal government to extend the 2017 tax cuts. Equally important, I want to ensure that any benefits from those tax cuts won’t be wasted by the higher interest rates proposed in the Senate resolution,” he added.
“We still have extensive work ahead to steer the federal budget back to a sustainable financial path. I cannot support any budget resolution that falls short of this goal.”
Maryland Representative Andy Harris (R-Md.) also voiced doubts regarding the Senate’s spending budget, stating, “If the Senate can propose genuine deficit reductions in alignment with or exceeding the House’s goals, I could support the Senate budget resolution.”
“However, with the Senate’s committee instructions being set so low at $4 billion compared to the House’s $1.5-2 trillion, I am skeptical regarding that prospect. The Senate is welcome to draft its reconciliation bill, but I cannot endorse the House’s acceptance of the Senate’s modifications to our budget resolution until I see the actual spending and deficit reduction strategies that align with President Trump’s America First agenda,” he continued.
House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and Representative Keith Self (R-Texas) also expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed spending cuts, yet did not explicitly state they would oppose it.
The key question remains whether Johnson can secure the necessary votes to pass the resolution supported by President Donald Trump, who stated that the “Senate Budget plan provides us with the essential tools to achieve our collective priorities, including certain PERMANENT Tax Cuts, Spending Cuts, Energy investments, Historic Funding for Defense, Border management, and more. We will cut spending and right-size the budget to where it ought to be.”
“The Senate Plan has my Complete and Total Support. Additionally, the House is working along the same lines. Every Republican in both the House and Senate must UNIFY. We need to pass it IMMEDIATELY!” Trump added in a Truth Social post last week.
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