Rep. Thomas Massie Discusses One Option For ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ That Could Earn His Support

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In an interview with Daily Caller, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) disclosed what would sway him to support President Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’

The Kentucky Republican said he would support a “skinny” version of the legislation.

Massie told the outlet he’s open to one proposal of splitting the bill into two.

Daily Caller shared Massie’s comments:

“I can tell you the conservatives in the house are getting antsy with every change that happens in the Senate, and there’s a concern that maybe they need to just skinny this thing down and try to do just a few things,” he asserted, adding that they may try to do “two bills instead of one.”

“The first one should be just the absolute essentials to the president’s priorities, which would be, secure the border and extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” he explained.

Massie said he could theoretically support that bill depending on its impact on the deficit.

“It would be a lot of speculation to say that’s where we’re going to end up. But if we did end up there, and there was a repeal of the Green New Deal subsidies, I could be for that, possibly — I’d have to see the total budget impact in the House,” he told the Caller.

There have been several changes to the Senate version of the bill that have raised red flags for Massie. They stripped the REINS Act Provision — something Massie personally lobbied for in the House version — which requires congressional approval for major federal regulations before they take effect. The Senate is also mulling over a longer phaseout of renewable energy tax credits and whether to reduce the income cap for State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions. Massie said that lowering the threshold would benefit blue states more than red states.

“If they make that tweak, let’s say they limit the SALT deduction to people who make less than $400,000 a year, that means that more of the benefit of that tax provision will go to blue states instead of red states, because to be under whatever the threshold is — let’s just say $400,000 a year annual income and have $40,000 of state and local taxes or property taxes — means that you’re probably in a blue state,” he explained.

“I think the ultimate bill that the Senate passes, if they can pass one, is going to have an even worse impact on the deficit than the House bill,” he said.

Massie hasn’t shied from voicing his opposition of the legislation.

Recently, President Trump said he would campaign in Kentucky to primary Massie in the midterm elections.

Rep. Thomas Massie Says Strikes Against Iranian Nuclear Facilities “Not Constitutional” – President Trump Responds

Trump said Massie is “not MAGA” and called him a “LOSER.”

“MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague! The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard. MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians, of which Thomas Massie is definitely one,” Trump said earlier this month.

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Trump’s team formed a super PAC to bolster its effort against Massie and launched a $1 million ad against the congressman.

WATCH:

“The BBB now allows funding sex changes for minors! This ad slams me for voting against the BBB, but the Senate just stripped the ‘ban on sex changes for minors’ from the BBB. By the ads’ twisted logic, those who support the Senate’s edits now support sex changes for minors,” Massie said in response to the ad.

Massie made further critiques of the legislation over the weekend.

He said:

You were promised the Big Beautiful Bill would do these things but it does NOT:

❌ Prohibit welfare for illegal aliens

❌ Stop funding sex changes for kids

❌ End registration of suppressors

❌ Defund planned parenthood 10 yrs

❌ Implement REINS Act

❌ Reduce the deficit

“Lest ye blame the Senate, watch the House now vote for the lobotomized version 2.0 BBB product. The initial promises got pro-life, immigration-reform, and pro-gun groups to whip for version 1.0 House Republicans voted for V1.0, got pregnant, and now will vote for V2.0 Vote No!” he said.

The Hill discussed the challenges of passing the Senate-version of the bill in the House:

The Senate’s version of the “big, beautiful bill” is facing serious headwinds in the House with The Hill learning that at least six House Republicans are currently a “no” on the framework, a daunting sign for GOP leadership as the Senate races towards a vote.

Those six House Republicans, some of whom requested anonymity, are enough opposition to tank the package, as GOP leaders grapple with a razor-thin majority. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who was one of two GOP lawmakers to oppose the House version of the bill last month, is also likely to oppose the Senate’s edition, deepening the pocket of resistance in the lower chamber.

Republicans can only afford to lose three votes and still clear the legislation, assuming full attendance and united Democratic opposition.



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