House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) laid out his game plan if Republicans win the White House and both chambers of Congress next year, saying the GOP would return to previous economic policies under former President Donald Trump that were overturned by the Biden administration.
Johnson outlined his top five priorities during remarks at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, criticizing the Biden administration for high inflation and increasing costs of living over the past four years. His remarks come just 34 days before the 2024 election when Johnson's leadership and his slim House majority will be on the line .
"Eight years ago, I came to Congress, the same year that Donald Trump came to the White House, and we went right to work implementing the policies that we always said that we supported," Johnson said. "When Republicans retake the White House and the Senate and grow our House majority ... we will introduce and pass a comprehensive economic agenda based on the successful plan we implemented under President Trump's first administration that will restore the American economy to full health and reinvigorate our can-do spirit."
The five-part plan, which Johnson dubbed the "America First" principles, would reform policy areas ranging from the economy and education to energy and border security.
Johnson said Republicans will extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that passed under the Trump administration as well as prioritize legislation to crack down on China's "exploitation of trade deals and nefarious economic practices." Republicans will also focus on rewriting the tax code to undo some policies that Johnson says "reward illegal aliens" as a way to curb illegal immigration at the southern border.
The speaker also expressed plans to empower the U.S. energy sector by rolling back Green New Deal policies implemented under the Biden administration to "reestablish American energy dominance."
The GOP will make education a main priority if they win Congress next year, with Johnson outlining plans to "maximize school choice" for parents and cracking down on "radical ideologies and insurgent antisemitism [that] have overtaken our once great university campuses."
Finally, Johnson said if Republicans managed to win the White House and both chambers of Congress, the party would prioritize "fiscal responsibility" — something GOP lawmakers have called for over the last four years. In doing so, Republicans will work to decrease the national debt and undo many of the policies passed under Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, Johnson said.
"We must be responsible stewards of your tax dollars. And it's my plan to do just that in the united Republican government," Johnson said. "I think we're on a path to get there in November. It's not going to be easy. ... But it's a task that can be achieved."
Johnson's speech is also notable because it comes during the week of the one-year anniversary of the historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was removed from his top leadership position on Oct. 3 of last year after negotiating a government spending deal with Democrats.
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Since winning the majority in 2022, Republicans have dealt with a rocky two years as both McCarthy and now Johnson have had to learn to manage the occasionally unruly GOP conference while also convincing voters to allow the party to control the lower chamber.
Johnson has done so by traveling across the country since taking the speaker's gavel last year, assisting GOP candidates at campaign events in 211 cities across 39 states, the speaker said on Tuesday. Johnson said he plans to continue a vigorous schedule to travel to 20 states in October alone in the final sprint to Election Day.
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