Politics
Top US Republican eyes swift passage of Trump priority mega-bill
The speaker of the US House said Sunday he was pushing an “aggressive” timeframe for getting a multi-trillion-dollar bill addressing immigration, tax cuts and more to Donald Trump’s desk by April, within his first 100 days in office.
Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow congressional Republicans are eager to help the incoming president enact his campaign promises, including unprecedented border security spending, business deregulation, boosting energy production and raising the US debt ceiling.
But with a new razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives and similarly tight Senate margins, Democratic opposition could stymie the efforts.
Johnson said he has strategized with Trump about combining several priorities into one gigantic piece of legislation that could move through Congress under rules of so-called reconciliation.
Such a tool allows budget-related bills to clear the 100-member Senate with a simple majority, rather than a typical 60-vote threshold.
“We can put it all together, one big up-or-down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it,” Johnson told Fox News.
“That’s why we’re going to be so aggressive about getting this through in the first 100 days,” he said.
Johnson said he aimed to have an initial House vote on the bill as early as April 3. He envisioned it then clearing the Senate and being signed into law by month’s end.
According to Johnson, the bill would include funding for securing the US-Mexico border and deporting undocumented immigrants.
Trump focused much of his 2024 presidential campaign on immigration and, after his victory in November, said he could use the military to deport millions of people.
Johnson also said the mega-bill would “restore American energy dominance,” extend tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term, and slash red tape “that has smothered our free market.”
He also pledged to include a provision extending US borrowing authority.
The United States routinely runs up against a legal constraint on paying for bills already incurred, and Congress is called upon to either formally raise the debt ceiling or suspend it.
A suspension of the debt limit reached by lawmakers in 2023 ended this month, and the country could bump up against the ceiling by June.
During December budget negotiations in Congress, Trump insisted the debt ceiling be raised or even eliminated altogether, but he was unsuccessful.
Johnson on Fox defended the apparent paradox of wanting to increase the limit on government borrowing while boasting of seeking to reduce the deficit.
“We’re the team that wants to cut spending,” he said. “But you have to raise the debt limit on paper so that we don’t frighten the bond markets and the world’s economy.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that he’s still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s comment followed his expulsion from the party by the faction led by National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Turaki had formally dispatched expulsion certificates to 11 prominent party chieftains, including Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umaru Bature, Kamarudeen Ajibade, SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
He said their expulsion was aimed at sanitising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Wike dismissed the claim while assuring that he would continue to work with other party members in making PDP a relevant opposition party.
The minister spoke while addressing journalists after inspecting the Interchange bridge and road linking Gwarinpa with Jahi and direct to Katampe, Gishiri and Maitama.
He said, “Those that are factionalized are bound to leave the party, I’m still in PDP and you can see that not everybody has left.
“We still have good numbers and we will continue to work together and that’s what I have said to the party. Put your house in order because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that is losing.
“So those who are worried, we can work together to see how the party can remain a relevant opposition.”
The governments of Abia and Imo States have announced the launching of a joint security taskforce and surveillance along the Aba-Owerri expressway, starting from Owerrinta in Abia State all the way to Owerri, Imo State.
The launch followed recent attacks by criminals on the expressway, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
The formation of the joint security taskforce and surveillance was announced by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity.
His statement read in part: “Arising from a strategic emergency security meeting held today, 4th December, 2025, by the Governors of Abia and Imo Sates at the Imo State Government Owerri House, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti and His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma resolved to set up a joint security Taskforce that shall consist of Soldiers, Naval Personnel, Police Officers , DSS Personnel, and other Government Security Agencies.
“The joint security Taskforce shall, starting from tomorrow 5th December 2025, patrol the road 24 hours nonstop, while carrying out massive surveillance in the surrounding bushes using sophisticated drones and other modern security equipment.”
According to the statement, Governor Alex Otti commended the Governor of Imo State for arresting the criminals who carried out an attack on His advanced team and other passengers a few days ago.
“The two Governors, while assuring citizens plying the road on a daily basis and those returning home for Christmas of their safety and security, warn that there would be severe consequences for any criminal caught on the road going forward”, Ekeoma concluded.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted to the senate two lists of 34 career and 31 non career ambassadors nominees for screening and confirmation.
Prominent names listed as non career ambassadors include Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Victor Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also listed as non career ambassadors nominees are Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Nora Daduut, Fatima Ajimobi, and Senator Ita Enang among others.
The two lists brings to 68 number of persons nominated so far as ambassadors awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
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