House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain issued a warning to her Senate colleagues Wednesday regarding the House-passed Trump budget bill, urging them to “touch very lightly” and avoid forcing a potentially contentious conference process.
The admonition comes as Senate Republicans signal their intent to make changes to the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”
“Change it 10%, but I think 30% is a lot,” McClain (R-MI) told AXIOS in an interview on Wednesday. Her comments were a direct response to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who earlier today suggested preserving only 60% or 70% of the House’s legislative text. While acknowledging the Senate’s need to “put their fingerprints on it,” McClain emphasized the need for minimal alterations.
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The critical juncture stems from Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo’s (R-ID) proposed changes to his portion of the bill. Key modifications include lowering the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap, making business tax cuts permanent, and adjusting renewable energy tax credits and border security funding.
Should the Senate enact substantial changes, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) would likely be compelled to initiate a conference committee in July to reconcile differences. This scenario unfolds with the looming threat of a debt default hanging over negotiations, a prospect McClain believes there’s “not a huge appetite to go to conference because of the timing.”
McClain told AXIOS the precarious position of “Blue State Republicans,” who are threatening to derail the entire bill if the $40,000 SALT deduction cap is lowered.
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Adding a new dimension to the debate, a national poll released by Cygnal, conducted June 3-4 among 1,500 likely general election voters, indicates a record number of Americans believe the nation is headed in the right direction. The monthly National Voter Trends (NVT) poll also shows strong support for President Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), particularly its tax relief provisions.
Brent Buchanan, Cygnal’s President, and Alex Tarascio, Director of Policy and Political Strategy, oversaw this month’s NVT poll.
Key poll takeaways suggest the OBBB enjoys significant support, especially among parents (+11 net support), swing voters (+9), and those earning under $75,000 (+5), signaling the bill’s content is resonating with a diverse and expanding coalition.
Interestingly, while Democrats claim the bill favors the wealthy, those earning over $200,000 are the least supportive income group (-16). However, when explicitly tied to the President, female support for the bill shifts 12 points to the negative.
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“Contrary to what Democrats are pushing in the media, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) – especially its individual components – is popular with voters mostly because of the tax cut provisions,” said Brent Buchanan. “This proves President Trump’s political senses reflect the priorities of regular Americans. Voters want to see action from Congress to match Trump’s pace and this push for the OBBB reflects that – especially when we hit another record number of voters saying the country is on the right track.”
Within the OBBB, tax relief provisions emerged as the top priority. Increasing the standard deduction for seniors (24%), eliminating taxes on tips and overtime (17%), and permanently extending the Trump tax cuts (17%) were the most supported items. This strong interest in tax relief aligns with a record 47% of voters who believe the country is headed in the right direction and a growing sense of fiscal hawkishness, with 12% identifying reducing government waste and spending as a top priority.
The poll also revealed significant concern over the national debt, with 38% of voters expressing extreme concern. A substantial 53% of voters backed reducing government spending to pay down the national debt, even if it meant reductions in services.
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Looking ahead, House lawmakers are set to vote on a $9.4 billion rescissions package on Thursday. McClain expressed the critical importance of its passage. “If we can’t pass this rescission package, we are really in trouble,” she asserted, though she added optimistically, “I think we’re going to pass it,” anticipating more rescission requests throughout the year.
As McClain actively works to elevate her members, she frequently participates in joint media appearances. She encourages them to venture into traditionally less friendly media environments to champion the GOP’s agenda.
“We need to go tell our story to the CNNs and the MSNBCs,” she told AXIOS. “What I found, if you’re respectful to any news anchor, any media, they’re usually pretty respectful to you.”
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