Rep. Pete Classes (R-Texas) lamented the deficit spending within the GOP’s “big, beautiful” spending package deal however framed the difficulty as a needed compromise to keep away from having to barter with Democrats.
“I don’t want to have any deficit spending. But what I’m trying to suggest to you is that we are stuck in a paradigm where we have to pass this ourselves,” Classes informed CNN’s John Berman in an interview Thursday morning.
The Texas Republican mentioned he conceded on calls for from a handful of Republicans representing blue-leaning states who pushed to boost the cap on state and native tax (SALT) deductions. He added, “It’s a balance there.”
“What we’re trying to do is balance out where the American people get jobs and job creation. We really don’t want to see people just leave these blue states because of taxes that they can’t afford their property,” Classes mentioned. “So, it is not a perfect world, John.”
He additionally identified that if the sprawling legislative agenda shouldn’t be handed by means of the reconciliation course of, then Republicans must flip to Democrats — which, Classes argued, wouldn’t essentially cut back deficit spending however would imply much less of Trump’s agenda may make it by means of Congress.
“The bottom line is, is that this has to come together as a piece of legislation. You see, John, if we do not pass our one big, beautiful bill, then we negotiate with Democrats, essentially nine Democrats, that simply raises spending to get us where we get the tax cuts that we save them, where they ought to be,” the GOP lawmaker mentioned.
“So it is, no question about it, not a perfect battle for Republicans,” he added.
The interview comes amid criticism from tech billionaire Elon Musk that has slowed momentum within the Senate on the invoice. The Congressional Price range Workplace on Wednesday projected that the 1,116-page Home handed invoice would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the following decade.
