Latest news with #RickScott
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Ron Johnson proposes 'line-by-line' cuts to pass Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
Republican senators have voiced concerns about President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," saying they plan to vote "no" unless its impact on the national debt can be addressed. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is calling for a return to pre-pandemic spending as a possible solution. The spending bill, which was passed by the House in late May, is expected to add roughly $3 trillion to the national debt, including interest, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Sen. Rand Paul came out as a "no" on the bill in its current form. "I'm a no unless we separate out the debt ceiling," Paul said. "If you take the debt ceiling off the bill, I'm pretty much a yes on most of the rest." Speaker Johnson Clashes With Rand Paul Over 'Wimpy' Spending Cuts In Trump's Bill Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also expressed opposition. Read On The Fox News App "If we follow the path of the House bill, we'll have close to, I think, $60 trillion worth of debt in 10 years," Scott said on "Mornings With Maria," Thursday. "What we've got to do is do what every family does: We've got to go through every line of the budget." Sen. Johnson echoed Scott's proposal on "Sunday Morning Futures," saying he would trust Scott to oversee a line-by-line review to find areas to cut spending. Elon Musk Criticism Of Trump Tax Bill Frustrates Some Republicans: 'No Place In Congress' "Rick Scott has the experience in Florida. Take a look at how successful he was at reducing spending, balancing his budget, and then giving tax cuts to Floridians," Johnson told host Maria Bartiromo. "He'd be great on a budget review panel, I propose that." But as for specifics, Johnson maintained that there would be no "across-the-board" cuts in order to get back to pre-pandemic spending. "It's been [an] unprecedented level of spending. There's no justification for $4.4 to $7 trillion in just six years. Getting back to a reasonable pre-pandemic level, you do it line by line by line," he said. But with an expected deadline in July, Johnson proposed splitting Trump's "big, beautiful bill" into two parts to allow the Senate more time to address the deficit concerns. "If we split this thing into two parts: border defense, take what spending cuts that we've already identified, bank those, extend current tax law, take an automatic tax increase off the table, increase the debt ceiling for about a year—by the way, that will be a shocking amount, about $2.5 trillion just to get us into March of 2026.. That ought to tell people, we better fix this." Trump criticized those opposing his bill, saying Republicans are "playing right into the hands of the Democrats" if they vote "no." But Johnson maintained the need to return to lower pre-pandemic spending. "I want to see [President Trump] succeed. But again, my loyalty is to the American people, to my kids and grandkids. We cannot continue to mortgage their future," Johnson article source: Sen. Ron Johnson proposes 'line-by-line' cuts to pass Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Sen. Ron Johnson proposes 'line-by-line' cuts to pass Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
Republican senators have voiced concerns about President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," saying they plan to vote "no" unless its impact on the national debt can be addressed. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is calling for a return to pre-pandemic spending as a possible solution. The spending bill, which was passed by the House in late May, is expected to add roughly $3 trillion to the national debt, including interest, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Sen. Rand Paul came out as a "no" on the bill in its current form. "I'm a no unless we separate out the debt ceiling," Paul said. "If you take the debt ceiling off the bill, I'm pretty much a yes on most of the rest." Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also expressed opposition. "If we follow the path of the House bill, we'll have close to, I think, $60 trillion worth of debt in 10 years," Scott said on "Mornings With Maria," Thursday. "What we've got to do is do what every family does: We've got to go through every line of the budget." Sen. Johnson echoed Scott's proposal on "Sunday Morning Futures," saying he would trust Scott to oversee a line-by-line review to find areas to cut spending. "Rick Scott has the experience in Florida. Take a look at how successful he was at reducing spending, balancing his budget, and then giving tax cuts to Floridians," Johnson told host Maria Bartiromo. "He'd be great on a budget review panel, I propose that." But as for specifics, Johnson maintained that there would be no "across-the-board" cuts in order to get back to pre-pandemic spending. "It's been [an] unprecedented level of spending. There's no justification for $4.4 to $7 trillion in just six years. Getting back to a reasonable pre-pandemic level, you do it line by line by line," he said. But with an expected deadline in July, Johnson proposed splitting Trump's "big, beautiful bill" into two parts to allow the Senate more time to address the deficit concerns. "If we split this thing into two parts: border defense, take what spending cuts that we've already identified, bank those, extend current tax law, take an automatic tax increase off the table, increase the debt ceiling for about a year—by the way, that will be a shocking amount, about $2.5 trillion just to get us into March of 2026.. That ought to tell people, we better fix this." Trump criticized those opposing his bill, saying Republicans are "playing right into the hands of the Democrats" if they vote "no." But Johnson maintained the need to return to lower pre-pandemic spending. "I want to see [President Trump] succeed. But again, my loyalty is to the American people, to my kids and grandkids. We cannot continue to mortgage their future," Johnson said.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Rick Scott, Ashley Moody must defend against political storms by backing emergency funding
1It's June 1, the official start of hurricane season. And Floridians know, for sure, that there is a storm coming. But when? Where? How bad will it be, and how much help can the state expect as it rebuilds? Those are questions that can't be answered. That's because this storm is of human origin — a swirling morass of short-sighted buyouts pushed by Donald Trump's DOGE bounty hunters, potential budget cuts and a threatened shift in the way the nation funds disaster recovery. Even if Florida dodges a direct hit by a major hurricane this year, the uncertainty of storm-prediction capabilities and recovery aid are likely to drive Florida's property insurance industry into a maelstrom of uncertainty, potentially fueling catastrophic rate increases. The only hope lies in restoring the hard-won stability that, until last year, Floridians had grown to rely on. And there's still a chance for two key leaders — our U.S. senators, Ashley Moody and Rick Scott — to defend Florida's chances of surviving brutal storm seasons. Both have ample reason to know what's at stake. Moody, who until recently served as state attorney general, witnessed the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which caught southwest Florida underprepared for a last-minute course shift. As governor, Scott oversaw turbulent storm seasons, including 2017, when Hurricane Irma forced the largest mass evacuation in the nation's history. Both of them witnessed the slow, painful slogs to recovery every time a major storm hit Florida. As the Senate responds to the starvation-level budget approved by the House last month, they owe it to Floridians to tilt the national spending plan back to rationality. That includes repairing the tattered U.S. weather-monitoring system by filling more than 550 vacancies at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service. The nation needs qualified meteorologists and scientists, whose predictions give storm-vulnerable areas the best chance of bracing for impact — and no state needs help more than Florida, which has incurred more hurricane losses than any other state over the past 10 years. And no state would suffer as badly as Florida if the current situation persists. Geography is obviously a factor: The state is exposed to both Gulf and Atlantic storms, which can rake any point in its nearly 8,500 miles of shoreline and often shift course with little warning. Reporting by CBS and the Miami Herald show that NWS and NOAA outposts across the state are critically understaffed — something called out in a letter signed by five former heads of the NWS, published in these pages last month. 'NWS staff will have an impossible task to continue its current level of services. Some forecast offices will be so short-staffed that they may be forced to go to part-time services,' they wrote. The loss of forecasters is compounded by the short staffing among technicians responsible for maintaining the radar arrays that detect and analyze storm activity. 'Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,' they wrote. That should be everyone's fear. Reconstituting the nation's storm-prediction resources won't be easy. There are only so many qualified meteorologists, radar technicians and other critical personnel to fill these vacant positions, and many who departed took retirement deals that could complicate attempts to rehire them — a clear illustration of the penny-wise, pound-foolish impact of DOGE's blindly draconian cuts. Any delay in fixing the damage could be fatal for as-yet uncountable Floridians. Scott and Moody must also make it clear that federal aid will be available to any part of this nation hit by natural disasters. Recent actions by the Trump administration — denying federal aid for other parts of the nation that have been hit by devastating storms and other emergencies — make the warning even sharper. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is holding back funding that was promised months or even years ago, while denying emergency aid. Among the rejected pleas: Aid for a Washington state town that was three-quarters destroyed by wildfire, and help following an Arkansas storm event with tornadoes and giant hail that killed three people. Most alarming, the administration slashed funding last week for North Carolina's Hurricane Helene recovery, a storm that left 230 people dead and thousands without power for weeks. Ironically, Trump blasted the Biden administration in January for not doing enough to help Helene's victims. These incidental denials could be just the start. If President Trump makes good on his threat to shift disaster response to the states, Florida and other states on the front lines of climate change will be the first to suffer. While the president may speak deceptively of 'reform,' Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has been far more blunt: She wants to shut FEMA down. And while we appreciate Scott's sense of timing, taking a tour of Florida to promote disaster preparedness, this is not a burden that can be carried by Florida residents and businesses alone. That's why Scott, Moody and other GOP senators in disaster-prone states should join forces and make it clear: The nation should not abandon Florida and other states to the winds of fate. Certainly the nation's disaster-recovery framework could be improved. But an abrupt denial of funding now could carry devastating consequences — not just for states on the front lines, but on the nation. Floridians have the right to expect their senators to defend their interests. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
In Iowa, Trump's agenda collides with 2028 ambitions
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, at fundraisers in Iowa this week, sought to explain to the Republicans who are poised to have the first say in picking the party's 2028 presidential nominee why they want to put the brakes on the 'big, beautiful' bill that contains much of President Donald Trump's agenda. But Sue Cheek, a resident of Eldridge nearby, didn't want to hear it. 'We are the ones that elected Trump. This is what we wanted him to do. So let him do it,' she told CNN minutes before Scott took the stage at a fundraiser Friday night at a casino in Davenport. 'We are in a critical place right now in our country,' said Cheek, who works at a credit union. 'I don't care how much it costs to make our country secure. Once we get that done, then we can worry about that other stuff.' Trump is only months into his second term in office, but already, ambitious Republicans are flocking to the state whose caucuses are expected to kick off the party's 2028 presidential nominating contest. Paul spoke at a GOP fundraiser in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, and Scott followed with a fundraiser in Davenport on Friday. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will speak at the conservative Christian group The Family Leader's summit in July. Days later, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will visit Des Moines to headline the state party's Lincoln Dinner. The two senators arrived in Iowa while the fate of Trump's legislative agenda rested in the Senate. Conservatives like Paul and Scott are demanding changes — with Paul seeking to remove a debt ceiling increase and both seeking much steeper spending cuts. Their positions put them at odds with many Republicans in this politically potent state who helped propel Trump to the White House. Asked by CNN before Thursday's event if he's faced pushback from Republicans in Iowa who want to see Trump's agenda advance quickly, Paul acknowledged that 'some have.' 'Some people come up to me and some people genuinely say, 'Support the president. Support the president,'' Paul said. 'But I think I was elected to be an independent voice.' 'There are things that we have some disagreements, and I don't think it would be right just to be quiet and not try to make the bill better,' Paul said. Scott said he is eager to achieve much of Trump's bill, including making 2017 tax cuts permanent and funding efforts to secure the US-Mexico border. 'I want to get the president's agenda done, too,' he told CNN. But, Scott said, 'we have to understand we have a spending problem.' 'Interest rates are high. Inflation is high. If we want to help … we got to get a balanced budget,' Scott said. 'We've got to have a we have to have a clear path to balanced budget.' Though the 2028 election is still years from taking shape, Iowa — where an open race for governor and competitive House races in next year's midterm elections give ambitious Republicans a pretext to visit and help raise money — is a near-permanent presidential battleground when an incumbent won't be on the ballot in the next election. Jeff Kaufmann, the longtime Iowa Republican Party chairman, said potential candidates are already calling him to ask for advice. 'We're certainly not going to have a 'Never Trump' candidate that even has a prayer. I'm not even sure at this point if a person that is lukewarm on Trump is going to do very well,' Kaufmann told CNN. But, he said, voters there have 'a high tolerance for debate.' 'As long as they explain themselves — and in Iowa, they're going to have a chance to do that — and as long as they are methodical and the underlying basis is conservative, come to Iowa,' Kaufmann said. 'Everybody is going to get an honest look.' That tolerance for debate was on display Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, when Paul received a friendly applause even after delivering a speech criticizing Trump's tariffs and staking out his opposition to the 'big, beautiful bill' that contains much of Trump's agenda. The Kentucky senator said he opposes the measure's debt ceiling hike and wants to see overall spending levels drastically reduced. Doug Dix, a retired banker who lives in Hiawatha who attended Paul's speech Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, said he agrees with Paul's positions on principle, but doesn't want to see Trump's agenda thwarted. 'I'm looking for somebody that wins and gets things done,' he said. 'Let's see if they get it done. I don't think Rand Paul's going to prevent it from getting it done.' 'Get the bill done. Get it on his desk,' Dix said. Many Republicans said they are frustrated — not with Senate conservatives yet, but with judges, Democrats and the media, which they described as playing much larger roles in impeding Trump. Tim Striley, the chairman of the Clinton County Republican Party, said Friday the intra-party debates over the bill are 'healthy.' More frustrating, he said, are court rulings blocking Trump's actions. 'You've got to give the man a chance to govern,' he said. 'They didn't do that the first time.' Bonnie Powell, a retired nurse in Davenport, said she'd like to see Republicans on Capitol Hill back Trump. 'It gets frustrating,' she said. 'But no matter how frustrating, Republicans aren't near at the level of disagreeing as the other party.' Her husband Steve Powell added: 'Rand Paul, I've always liked him, but I don't agree with him on this. … He's only one vote. He's not going to make the difference.' 'I'd like to see them follow through with what Trump's already started,' he said.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
In Iowa, Trump's agenda collides with 2028 ambitions
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, at fundraisers in Iowa this week, sought to explain to the Republicans who are poised to have the first say in picking the party's 2028 presidential nominee why they want to put the brakes on the 'big, beautiful' bill that contains much of President Donald Trump's agenda. But Sue Cheek, a resident of Eldridge nearby, didn't want to hear it. 'We are the ones that elected Trump. This is what we wanted him to do. So let him do it,' she told CNN minutes before Scott took the stage at a fundraiser Friday night at a casino in Davenport. 'We are in a critical place right now in our country,' said Cheek, who works at a credit union. 'I don't care how much it costs to make our country secure. Once we get that done, then we can worry about that other stuff.' Trump is only months into his second term in office, but already, ambitious Republicans are flocking to the state whose caucuses are expected to kick off the party's 2028 presidential nominating contest. Paul spoke at a GOP fundraiser in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, and Scott followed with a fundraiser in Davenport on Friday. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will speak at the conservative Christian group The Family Leader's summit in July. Days later, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will visit Des Moines to headline the state party's Lincoln Dinner. The two senators arrived in Iowa while the fate of Trump's legislative agenda rested in the Senate. Conservatives like Paul and Scott are demanding changes — with Paul seeking to remove a debt ceiling increase and both seeking much steeper spending cuts. Their positions put them at odds with many Republicans in this politically potent state who helped propel Trump to the White House. Asked by CNN before Thursday's event if he's faced pushback from Republicans in Iowa who want to see Trump's agenda advance quickly, Paul acknowledged that 'some have.' 'Some people come up to me and some people genuinely say, 'Support the president. Support the president,'' Paul said. 'But I think I was elected to be an independent voice.' 'There are things that we have some disagreements, and I don't think it would be right just to be quiet and not try to make the bill better,' Paul said. Scott said he is eager to achieve much of Trump's bill, including making 2017 tax cuts permanent and funding efforts to secure the US-Mexico border. 'I want to get the president's agenda done, too,' he told CNN. But, Scott said, 'we have to understand we have a spending problem.' 'Interest rates are high. Inflation is high. If we want to help … we got to get a balanced budget,' Scott said. 'We've got to have a we have to have a clear path to balanced budget.' Though the 2028 election is still years from taking shape, Iowa — where an open race for governor and competitive House races in next year's midterm elections give ambitious Republicans a pretext to visit and help raise money — is a near-permanent presidential battleground when an incumbent won't be on the ballot in the next election. Jeff Kaufmann, the longtime Iowa Republican Party chairman, said potential candidates are already calling him to ask for advice. 'We're certainly not going to have a 'Never Trump' candidate that even has a prayer. I'm not even sure at this point if a person that is lukewarm on Trump is going to do very well,' Kaufmann told CNN. But, he said, voters there have 'a high tolerance for debate.' 'As long as they explain themselves — and in Iowa, they're going to have a chance to do that — and as long as they are methodical and the underlying basis is conservative, come to Iowa,' Kaufmann said. 'Everybody is going to get an honest look.' That tolerance for debate was on display Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, when Paul received a friendly applause even after delivering a speech criticizing Trump's tariffs and staking out his opposition to the 'big, beautiful bill' that contains much of Trump's agenda. The Kentucky senator said he opposes the measure's debt ceiling hike and wants to see overall spending levels drastically reduced. Doug Dix, a retired banker who lives in Hiawatha who attended Paul's speech Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, said he agrees with Paul's positions on principle, but doesn't want to see Trump's agenda thwarted. 'I'm looking for somebody that wins and gets things done,' he said. 'Let's see if they get it done. I don't think Rand Paul's going to prevent it from getting it done.' 'Get the bill done. Get it on his desk,' Dix said. Many Republicans said they are frustrated — not with Senate conservatives yet, but with judges, Democrats and the media, which they described as playing much larger roles in impeding Trump. Tim Striley, the chairman of the Clinton County Republican Party, said Friday the intra-party debates over the bill are 'healthy.' More frustrating, he said, are court rulings blocking Trump's actions. 'You've got to give the man a chance to govern,' he said. 'They didn't do that the first time.' Bonnie Powell, a retired nurse in Davenport, said she'd like to see Republicans on Capitol Hill back Trump. 'It gets frustrating,' she said. 'But no matter how frustrating, Republicans aren't near at the level of disagreeing as the other party.' Her husband Steve Powell added: 'Rand Paul, I've always liked him, but I don't agree with him on this. … He's only one vote. He's not going to make the difference.' 'I'd like to see them follow through with what Trump's already started,' he said.
