Senate Republicans always expected a "very spirited debate" over the massive tax-and-spending bill championed by President Donald Trump, but "we always knew we'd get it done," and it's time for the party to approve it, Sen. Markwayne Mullin told Newsmax.
"We have a bunch of senators here from different states that have different ideas, and that's why we've had over 51 full conference meetings on this one big, beautiful bill," the Oklahoma Republican said on Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "We've had literally hundreds of individual meetings, meaning that inside committees that have jurisdiction over this."
And now that lawmakers voted to proceed, they'll move into the amendment process, which isn't part of the hourslong reading of the bill, he said.
"What we are going to do now is take this, once the bill comes to the floor for amendments for the 'vote-a-rama,' we'll give it back to the House," Mullin said. "As the president said quite publicly already, he's excited about this movement. We're moving forward with the president's agenda, which is why the American people voted for us in November."
Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to "primary" Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., for voting against proceeding to debate on the Senate's version of the bill, and Mullin agreed that it's now time for Republicans to decide to vote for the legislation.
"We've all had spirited, spirited debate," he said, adding that he and Tillis are friends.
"But now we have to advance something," he said. "This bill is not perfect. It's not perfect for everybody. But we still only have two choices: Stay with [Joe] Biden's policies or move towards Trump's policies, and that's the only two choices on the floor in front of us right now."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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