Rep. Dusty Johnson to Meet with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, is set to meet with President-elect Donald Trump this weekend at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Johnson, who serves as the chair of the Main Street Caucus, a group of pragmatic conservative lawmakers, will be joined by other caucus leaders, including U.S. Representative Mike Flood, R-Nebraska, and Oklahoma Congresswoman Stephanie Bice.
The gathering, scheduled for Sunday, will also include a select group of House Republicans. The discussions will focus on key topics for a potential budget reconciliation bill, addressing U.S.-Mexico border security, energy policies, federal spending, tax cuts, and other Republican legislative priorities.
The budget reconciliation process, established under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, is an optional procedure allowing Congress to pass legislation related to revenue, spending, and debt policies with a simple majority vote, bypassing the filibuster in the Senate. Republicans aim to leverage this process to expedite the implementation of Trump’s goals as he prepares to take office on January 20.
During an interview with Fox Business’ Elizabeth MacDonald on Tuesday, Johnson elaborated on his plans for the meeting. He emphasized the importance of addressing pressing issues, including countering the influence of the Chinese Communist Party and reducing what he described as “woke policies” in the military and federal government.
“There will be some disagreements about what exactly is in one package or two,” Johnson said. “No matter how we structure it … we have got to get these things done.”
The Main Street Caucus, known for its pragmatic approach to conservative policy-making, is expected to play a significant role in shaping Republican legislative efforts in the upcoming Congress. Johnson and his colleagues are optimistic that the meeting will lead to productive discussions on advancing the GOP’s agenda.
As Trump’s inauguration approaches, Republicans are eager to unify their efforts to implement key policy objectives through the budget reconciliation process, ensuring swift legislative action on their priorities.
