House Republicans Set to Unveil Strategy for Advancing Trump’s Agenda

February 11, 2025 TruthUSA

House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that a plan could be unveiled on February 11, with the initial committee hearing scheduled for February 13.

WASHINGTON—After a series of delays, the House Republican Conference is set to unveil a plan aimed at fulfilling President Donald Trump’s campaign pledges on February 11, according to statements made by leadership that morning.

Although the Republican Party holds a majority in both chambers of Congress, passing partisan legislation through normal procedures is hindered by the Senate’s “cloture” requirement. This rule necessitates a vote by 60 senators to limit debate on a measure, otherwise, it can be filibustered. With only 53 Republican senators, they lack sufficient votes to invoke cloture, and the support of 7 Democrats is considered unlikely.

As a result, the party is turning to a limited procedure known as “budget reconciliation,” which bypasses the cloture requirement, to enact legislation fulfilling multiple campaign commitments made by Trump and other Republicans during the 2024 election. These goals include augmenting funding for border security and renewing elements of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. However, the reconciliation process restricts non-fiscal policy adjustments—only provisions related to taxation, spending, and public borrowing are permitted, and their effects can endure for a maximum of ten years.

Since the commencement of the 119th Congress on January 3, Republicans in both the Senate and House have been engaged in negotiations regarding the specifics of a reconciliation process that will pertain to Fiscal Year 2025. These discussions have faced obstacles due to differing opinions on the number of bills and their contents, with some fiscal conservatives insisting on substantial cuts to public spending as a trade-off for the anticipated multitrillion-dollar expense of other provisions. Negotiations reached a deadlock on February 5, prompting the Senate Republican Conference to decide on initiating a parallel process that would facilitate two reconciliation bills for Fiscal Year 2025, while the House persists in its negotiations.

On February 11, House Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned that his conference is nearing a consensus on the reconciliation process and plans to release a strategy later that same day. He also noted that the House Budget Committee is set to commence a “markup,” or bill preparation, process for a budget resolution—the first step in the reconciliation process—on February 13.

“The markup is scheduled for Thursday. That’s the intention,” Johnson stated. “[We] will be revealing the details later tonight.”

The House’s proposal is expected to differ from that of the Senate. Johnson has consistently maintained that only one reconciliation bill can successfully pass through the House, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority, and the party is more fragmented on matters concerning spending cuts.

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) did not provide an immediate response to a request for comments.

Source link