Sen. Bernie Moreno wants his fellow Republicans to cancel their holiday plans and jam through "everything that we could possibly get" if they lose the majorities in November's midterms.
Why it matters: Republicans couldn't muster the votes for a megabill this summer, and leadership is not confident they can now. But Moreno (R-Ohio) is calling for the GOP to make a bigger push in the event of losing power.
- "We will do a reconciliation bill, one way or the other," Moreno — who said it is "more likely" the GOP holds the Senate — told reporters outside the Capitol on Thursday.
- 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."
- "If we lose the House and the Senate, we should be here from Nov. 9 until Dec. 31 with no break at all," he said. "Like, we'll have turkeys here for Thanksgiving."
Zoom in: Conversations have been ongoing in congressional offices about what a reconciliation package might look like in the lame-duck session between the election and the new Congress next year, a source familiar with the matter tells 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," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chair of the Budget Committee, told Axios.
- Election outcomes won't substantively change much for frequent holdouts like Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) who are on their way out.
- That's not to mention Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), who are appropriators and known to break from the party.
What to watch: Republicans face a long to-do list in the lame-duck, including funding the government past Dec. 11, passing emergency defense spending and raising the debt ceiling.
- Those could all be considered part of a massive reconciliation package that requires just a majority vote to pass.
- But not everything qualifies for the reconciliation process — and big bills can cause big headaches.
Other to-do items include:
- Passing the National Defense Authorization Act
- Reauthorizing FISA Section 702, the warrantless wiretap authority
- Passing the farm bill
- Passing permitting reform
- Confirming nominations
Between the lines: Some of the administration's top priorities are banking on the partisan-led funding maneuver of reconciliation, including Trump's sprawling Golden Dome missile defense system, autonomous weapon advancement efforts and upgrades to the F-35 fighter jet.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told attendees at an Army conference on Wednesday the Pentagon needs "a minimum" of $350 billion to "rebuild the military."
The intrigue: If Republicans lose their Senate majority, it will almost certainly be Moreno's job to try to win it back.
- He is running for National Republican Senatorial Committee chair — so far, unopposed.
Axios Defense reporter Thomas Novelly contributed to this story.