Sen. Ron Johnson: 'No' on Senate Version of Big, Beautiful Bill

Days after appearing to soften on President Donald Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is back to being a hard "no" on the Senate's version of the legislation to fund the president's domestic policy agenda, The Hill reported Monday.

The Senate Finance Committee earlier Monday released the legislative text that would fund all of Trump's initiatives, cut hundreds of billion in Medicaid spending, and raise the debt ceiling to $5 trillion from the proposed $4 trillion by the House.

"No," Johnson said when asked if he's satisfied with the bill, The Hill reported.

"We've got a ways to go on this one," he said.

Johnson on Friday appeared to be capitulate on the megabill after being told by President Donald Trump not to be so "negative" talking about the legislation.

"When the president says, 'Ron, you've been so negative, that's just not even helpful,' I want to be helpful," said Johnson, who admitted he had "downplayed what is good in the bill."

"We all want to see President Trump succeed. Everybody is trying to help. That's why, if I seem to have been striking a more hopeful tone, it's because I am more hopeful," he added Friday.

Asked Monday if he would vote for this bill, he said, "No," according to the report.

He's not the only GOP senator to oppose the House version as well the Senate's.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was already a "no" when the debt limit was getting raised to $4 trillion let alone $5 trillion.

And now with deeper cuts to Medicaid, GOP senators like Josh Hawley of Missouri and Jerry Moran of Kansas are back to being concerned how the cuts will play in their states.

"It sounds like to me like we're going to keep the [former President Joe] Biden 'green new deal' subsidies and we're going to pay for that by defunding rural hospitals. That's going to be hard argument to make in Missouri," Hawley told reporters.

"It sounds like to me like this needs some work," he added.