Trump’s Agenda Faces a Split: Senate GOP Wants to Break Up House Bill

Senate GOP Seeks to Divide and Conquer Trump’s Legislative Agenda

Senate Republicans are growing increasingly skeptical of the House-drafted bill aimed at enacting President Trump’s legislative priorities. Facing strong opposition from moderate and fiscal conservatives, they’re now considering a strategic split, breaking the bill into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Even if Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) manages to push the bill through the House, it’s facing major hurdles in the Senate. Moderate Republicans are against proposed Medicaid cuts, while fiscal conservatives argue it doesn’t go far enough in reducing the deficit.

Potential for a Plan B

GOP senators, speaking anonymously, revealed that while Medicaid cuts are drawing significant resistance, negotiations on reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) haven’t yielded much progress. They are even discussing a “plan B” should the bill fail to pass the House or hit a roadblock in the Senate.

The House Stumbles

The bill, dubbed “one big, beautiful bill” by Trump, suffered a setback when a group of fiscal hawks on the House Budget Committee voted against advancing it. This forced a late-night session to try and salvage the legislation and meet a self-imposed Memorial Day deadline.

Senate Leader’s Earlier Proposal

This potential split mirrors a strategy proposed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) back in December. At that time, Thune advocated for dividing the bill into two or three parts, prioritizing elements with broader support in Congress.

Urgency for Border Security Funding

Senator’s are also facing pressure to allocate resources for border security, a priority that has been delayed due to the lengthy debate surrounding tax proposals and spending cuts.

Crapo’s Openness to a Split

Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), whose committee oversees taxes and Medicaid, isn’t ruling out the possibility of breaking up the bill. This could allow Republicans to quickly pass border security funding and potentially extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

Johnson’s Vocal Opposition

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a leading fiscal hawk, has been the most vocal proponent of breaking up the bill. He argues that the spending cuts in the House bill are insufficient and that prioritizing key elements would allow for more thorough consideration of complex policy issues.

He supports a focused package that includes $175 billion for border security, $150 billion for Pentagon budget increases, and the extension of the 2017 tax cuts, which he believes could pass both chambers quickly and secure Trump’s signature before the July 4 recess.

A Moody’s Downgrade Adds Pressure

The recent Moody’s credit rating downgrade, citing rising federal deficits, has further fueled the pressure on fiscal conservatives to push for deeper spending cuts.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) acknowledges the complexity of the bill, highlighting the need to balance its impact on the U.S. debt with potential tax cuts and Medicaid reductions.

Uncertainty Remains

While Thune maintains confidence in the House’s ability to pass the bill as one package, the Senate GOP’s internal deliberations suggest a growing willingness to consider a more fragmented approach.