After paying tribute to the late President Jimmy Carter, President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Melania Carter gathered with Senate Republicans on Wednesday to discuss the president's legislative priorities for his first 100 days, including border security and energy reform. We had an extensive discussion.
“I feel great” about returning to the Capitol, a beaming Trump told reporters. “We're going to get results and make America great again.”
The first couple then proceeded to the Capitol Rotunda and paused solemnly for about a minute in front of the 39th president's casket.
Carter, a man whom President Trump had harshly criticized in the past and who had recently praised for “doing everything he could to improve the lives of all Americans,” died on December 29. Passed away at the age of 100.
Senate Republicans then erupted into applause as the former and future commander-in-chief joined to begin deliberations on the agenda of the second administration.
Wednesday's visit will be the first time President Trump, 78, has set foot on Capitol Hill since leaving the White House in 2021, but he will be in Washington on Nov. 13 for a visit and talks with President Biden. I was back in DC. Republicans in June of this year.
President Trump begins his term with Congressional Republicans passing a “big, beautiful bill” focused on cracking down on illegal immigration into the United States and recovering unspent funds granted by his predecessor for a variety of purposes. I telegraphed that this was desirable. Renewable Energy Program.
“We have a lot of money to recover from the Green New Scam,” the president-elect said. bragged to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. on monday.
“The border will be secure, and we will start right away. [Border czar] “Tom Homan is the central casting,” he added. “We've got the best border we've ever had, and we're going to get twice the best border we've ever had. I'd like to prioritize one over the other, but I think we're going to have the best border we've ever had. I will do whatever it takes.”
Without a Democratic vote, the bill could reach the 47th president's desk through a process known as budget reconciliation.
For it to work, senators would need to determine whether the bill's provisions would only affect spending levels and not overtly change federal policy.
That way, it could pass both houses with a simple majority. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 advantage in the Senate and a 219-215 cushion in the House.
“We're looking at one bill versus two bills,” President Trump told reporters after entering the Capitol. “It doesn't matter what it is. We're going to get results.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) is pushing for a two-bill approach, with the first package addressing border and energy priorities and the second part of spending extending President Trump's tax cuts from 2017. I like it.
Separately, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who greeted Trump as he entered the Capitol from the Senate side on Wednesday, supported the single-legislative option for presidents, both past and future. The two met earlier this week to discuss how to proceed with their respective meetings.
The president-elect suggested that changes to IRS rules could also receive support from Democrats looking to win over voters, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that changes to IRS rules could be supported by Democrats who want to win over voters. '', he vehemently criticized it. ” he said in a floor speech Wednesday.
President Trump is also poised to win some Democratic votes with a legislative push, potentially offering a path to citizenship for so-called “Dreamers” (immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children). suggests that there may be.
He also told Hewitt, “It's OK to talk about Dreamers,” and hinted at the possibility of amnesty for up to 3 million immigrants who have crossed the U.S. border as unaccompanied minors.
“These are people who, in many cases, have lived here since they were born. They've been here for years. They were very young and now they're middle-aged. In some cases, they are elderly people. It's been talked about, and I'm certainly open to talking about it,” Trump explained.
Meanwhile, several Trump administration cabinet nominees visited Republican and Democratic senators early Wednesday for private talks. Among them were Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee for Director of National Intelligence.
Republican senators are trying to block Trump's transition by encouraging their Democratic colleagues to seek out candidates like Gabbard, whose comments about Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad have been controversial since he was ousted. He accused Trump of trying to block his nomination.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, accused the committee's top Democratic leader of even blocking the nomination of Interior Secretary-elect Doug Burgum. .
“It's disappointing to see the ranking members.” [Martin] heinrich [D-NM] “Instead of focusing on what voters asked for in the November election, which is restoring America's energy dominance after years of high energy prices and policy failures,” Lee said in a statement Wednesday, “We are trying to delay the issuance of the meeting notice,” he said.
“Governor Burgum filed papers with the Office of Government Ethics last week, and the committee now has the same amount of resources it had in 2009, when Democrats on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee found out they were holding confirmation hearings. I have documents,” he added.
“As Chairman, I have made every effort to work with my Democratic colleagues, but I will not succumb to delays that undermine our mandate to the American people. Now is the time to move forward and realize America's full energy potential.” It's time to focus on solutions, and I hope Democrats will work with us to deliver results for the American people.”
But some Republicans say regular filings from potential candidates aren't coming fast enough.
Republican aides told the Post on Tuesday that Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, whose confirmation is all but certain, is delaying the start of her confirmation hearing by not submitting background files and financial disclosures. he said.
The Office of Government Ethics will receive copies of both and distribute them to each candidate's jurisdictional committee.
In Bondi's case, confirmation hearings are tentatively set for January 15 and 16, and the Senate could vote to confirm her before President Trump's inauguration, January 20. .
