US President-elect Donald Trump visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a closed-door meeting with Republican senators, as party leaders strategise on advancing his agenda ahead of his upcoming inauguration.
Republicans are gearing up to reduce taxes, cut spending, and curb immigration, with a wide-ranging agenda that will need the party to come together on numerous complex policy decisions.
The GOP is divided over whether to pass his proposals in one comprehensive bill or split them into two.
“I like one big beautiful bill, I always have and always will, but if two is more certain, it does go a little bit quicker because you can do the immigration stuff early,” Trump said, as quoted by the New York Times on Tuesday.
House Republicans favour a single bill that encompasses tax cuts, border security, and energy initiatives. In contrast, Senate Republicans, led by Senator John Thune, are considering splitting the plan into two packages. Thune’s strategy would push for border security and energy provisions in the first bill, with tax cuts to follow in the second.
One tool Republicans are eyeing is budget reconciliation, a complicated process that allows legislation to pass with a simple majority, bypassing potential filibusters in the Senate.
As Trump meets with Republican lawmakers, both in Washington and at his Mar-a-Lago estate, the party is working to unite around a plan that will give them the momentum they need in the upcoming term.
Trump’s return to the Capitol is a significant moment, especially after the January 6 riot four years ago, which saw his supporters storm the Capitol.
