Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) is anxiously imploring his Republican colleagues to rush through a sweeping package of their priorities before they lose control of the Senate in November’s midterms, according to Axios.
He equated it with the "Last Supper" of Jesus Christ suggesting impending doom.
Moreno wants his GOP colleagues to cancel their holiday plans and push through “everything that we could possibly get” if they lose their majorities, Axios reported. He told reporters outside the Capitol on Thursday that it is “more likely” Republicans hold the Senate.
“We will do a reconciliation bill, one way or the other,” Moreno said. But if Republicans lose: “It’ll be the ‘Last Supper.’ So it’ll be a giant reconciliation bill where we take all the Republican priorities that we can get done.”
Axios noted that Republicans couldn’t muster the votes for a megabill this summer, and that leadership is not confident they can now. Reconciliation bills need only a majority vote to pass, though Axios said not everything qualifies for the process.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chair of the Budget Committee, told Axios: “We are working with the House and White House to develop what all is included to be able to sell to the public and our Republican colleagues when we return.”
A "lame-duck session would carry a long to-do list," Axios reported, including funding the government past Dec. 11, passing emergency defense spending and raising the debt ceiling. Those could all be folded into a single reconciliation package, the outlet said.
Axios also pointed out that the election won’t substantively change much for frequent GOP holdouts Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC.), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who are on their way out. Cornyn lost the Texas Republican Senate primary runoff to Ken Paxton in May.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), who sit on the Appropriations Committee, are known to break from the party, could also pose problems Axios reported.