In the News

WASHINGTON — Majority Whip Tom Emmer today joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss reconciliation, DOGE, and President Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Click here or above to watch the clip.

Whip Emmer on reconciliation:

“This week, the goal in the House was to mark up a budget resolution. I don’t know how many of your viewers understand that’s not reconciliation. That is simply the instructions to the committees that will draft their portion or their section of the reconciliation bill. It has to do with revenue and expense, and it tells them what they should be writing that bill to. It’s been a point of contention in the House. Where is the floor on savings and cuts, as opposed to what’s the assumption of growth? I think you’ll see we made some progress last week at the White House with President Trump, and I think you’ll see more this week. Regardless of what’s happening in the House, the Senate – Lindsey Graham – as you’re well aware, is moving forward with a budget resolution in the Senate Budget Committee. So, Republicans are going to get this done. I still believe the House will lead.”

Whip Emmer on DOGE:

“Donald Trump ran on a campaign promise that he was going to shake up the status quo in Washington, D.C. He was going to make sure that Americans could see behind every closed door, that they could see behind the curtains that have been drawn closed for years. The stuff that is being exposed by DOGE and Elon Musk – it’s exactly what Americans wanted. I mean, I think there was a CBS poll yesterday, Andrew, that had 70% of Americans believe Donald Trump is doing exactly what he campaigned on, and this is an example of it. I think they’re doing a great job.”

Whip Emmer on President Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs:

“This is a tool. Donald Trump is the master negotiator. He has used this tool incredibly well. It’s been very effective, and you don’t even have to take my word for it. Talk to Biden’s commerce secretary who, in specific reference to the steel tariffs in Trump’s first administration, admitted that they were very effective. So, Donald Trump’s doing what Donald Trump was elected to do. He’s putting Americans and American producers first. He’s making sure that people who have been taking advantage of us for decades now have to treat us fairly. We want to be able to have open and free trade, but we want it to be fair.”

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