GOP leader vows to work through July 4th if necessary to deliver Trump's 'big beautiful bill'
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., says he's willing to keep senators on Capitol Hill through weekends and holidays, even rolling into the July 4th recess if necessary to pass the "big beautiful bill" now simmering in the Senate.
"It is a huge priority, obviously, for the president. He campaigned on it," Thune said this weekend on "Fox News Sunday."
"This is an agenda that we are all committed to, and we will roll into the 4th of July recess, if necessary, in order to get this on the president's desk."
Republicans supportive of the bill fret that the Trump-backed measure won't reach the president's desk by the July 4th holiday. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is among those doubtful.
Addressing the concern, Thune told Fox News' Shannon Bream with confidence, "It'll get done."
The South Dakota Republican also addressed those inside his own party reluctant to offer their "yeah" for the "big beautiful bill," with some citing concerns it could contribute to the deficit.
Thune said, on the one hand, the bill contains "pro-growth" policies — tax, energy and regulatory in nature. On the other hand, he said, the bill would offer a massive spending reduction.
"This will be the largest spending reduction in history," he said.
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"You're talking over a trillion, a trillion and a half, up to $2 trillion. We'll see where we finally end up in the Senate, but it will be a major reduction in spending, coupled with reforms to programs to get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse, and then also have on the other side pro-growth policies."
"You get greater growth in the economy, more revenue here, spend less here, and pretty soon you can start seeing things balance out… But you have to start somewhere, and that's what this bill does."