Republican critics of ‘big, beautiful bill’ say ‘math doesn’t add up’

Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, raised concerns about the fiscal year 2024 budget proposal of President Biden during a Senate Budget Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. in 2023. In a recent interview, Johnson mentioned that there are sufficient GOP Senators to block the budget bill, which narrowly passed the House on May 22.

Johnson stated on CNN’s “State of the Union” that they have the numbers to halt the process until the president shows seriousness towards reducing spending and the deficit. Despite having a 53-47 vote majority in the Senate, some GOP members have expressed reluctance to support the budget bill and are prepared to defeat it.

The current budget proposal, which would escalate the debt ceiling by $4 billion to avoid a default on the national debt in August, has faced opposition not only from Johnson but also from Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Paul criticized the bill on Fox News Sunday, emphasizing the significant increase in the national deficit.

House Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana, a close ally of Trump, echoed Paul’s sentiments on the budget bill, emphasizing the critical issue of the national debt and deficits. Critics have urged the Senate to consider alternative strategies for reaching a compromise on the budget bill.