Politics

Thune faces pressure from right flank

Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story Senate hawks want steeper cuts in Trump tax bill The Senate version of legislation to enact President Trump’s agenda is hitting new turbulence as conservatives led by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike...

Jun 20, 2025 - 20:00

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Business & Economy

The Big Story

Senate hawks want steeper cuts in Trump tax bill

The Senate version of legislation to enact President Trump’s agenda is hitting new turbulence as conservatives led by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are demanding deeper spending cuts to address the nation’s $2.2 trillion annual deficit.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has focused this week on addressing the concerns of Senate GOP colleagues such as Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), who raised alarms about cuts to federal Medicaid spending.

But Thune has to worry about his right flank as Johnson and his allies are threatening to hold up the bill unless GOP leaders agree to deeper cuts to federal Medicaid spending and a faster rollback of the renewable energy tax credits enacted under former President Biden.

Johnson, Lee and Scott are threatening to vote as a bloc against the bill next week unless it undergoes significant changes.

Thune plans to bring the bill to the floor Wednesday or Thursday next week, but he may not have enough votes to proceed on the legislation, Republican senators say.

The Hill's Alex Bolton has more here.

Welcome to The Hill’s Business & Economy newsletter, I'm Sylvan Lane — covering the intersection of Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

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