Are We Willing to Fix It?

Neither Congress, the Administration, nor the public at large has fully acknowledged the depth of the fiscal hole we have dug, or what it will take to dig ourselves out of it. This is why I am releasing my report “FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation: Facts, Figures, and Analysis.”

My report provides an analysis of different scenarios using various growth rates and spending levels to prove that, without returning to a much lower pre-pandemic spending level, there is virtually no hope of achieving a balanced budget. Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, “We don’t have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem.” It’s time to find out if they’re willing to fix it.

Republicans must ask themselves whether they're willing to address this spending problem. I hope the answer is yes — and I will continue doing everything I can to ensure it is.

Access the entire 30-page report: The primary purpose of this report is to graphically show what so many Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, including President Trump in his November 2, 2011 tweet, "Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem." 

As outlined in this report, the House bill will not reduce the deficit — the numbers simply don’t support that claim. This is our once in a lifetime opportunity to balance the federal budget and reset spending. We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us.

We are all committed to helping the President and America succeed. My higher loyalty is to my children and grandchildren. We are immorally mortgaging their future. It's time to take a businesslike approach and work seriously to reduce spending and deficits.

READ: Washington Examiner —> Ron Johnson ramps up "Big, Beautiful Bill" opposition with release of deficit report

READ: The Daily Signal —>  Sen. Ron Johnson Proposes Alternative to "Big, Beautiful Bill"

WATCH: Clay & Buck —> Senator Ron Johnson Brings His Charts to the D.C. Studio to Talk Cutting the Budget

WATCH: Fox Business interview clip —> "We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us."

READ: Badger Institute —>  At center of America’s essential debate, Johnson says resist spending frenzy

Telephone Town Halls

I've been holding regular telephone town halls this month. The next one is Monday, June 23 at 2pm CT.

I hope all subscribers to my newsletter have signed up, but if not, here is the form. 

You can always listen to the telephone town halls live online or on X and Facebook. 

I appreciate everyone who takes the time to listen and ask thoughtful questions, even if we disagree. We have thousands of people on these calls and try to answer questions on a wide array of topics.

Here are the time codes and topics covered during the June 16 telephone town hall. 


8:55       Telephone Town Hall #122 begins
10:30     Thoughts on Sen. Alex Padilla at DHS Sec. Noem press conference
11:20     Will Trump’s bill get passed by July 4?
12:15     Are you concerned Republicans are on the wrong track?
14:30     How will you vote on funding for public television and radio?
15:35     Will Trump’s cuts hurt constituents?
19:30     Taxes on Social Security
22:13     Abortion
23:50     Affordable Care Act vs. Obamacare
25:58     VA care and government run health care
29:30     Why democrats are protesting
32:40     Illegal immigrants
35:20     National debt
38:11     China owning farmland near military bases
40:00     Federal budget and how to limit spending
42:35     Spending for Veterans
45:05     Israel/Iran war
47:50     Holding people accountable for illegal immigration
51:28     Army parade
53:20     Taxing the rich
56:25     Social Security and taxes
58:55     Revenue from tariffs
1:02:43  Closing remarks

Around Capitol Hill 

Congratulations to Matt Pronovost from Homestead High School in Mequon for earning a spot in the U.S. Senate Page Program this summer.

Pages play an important role in the daily operation of the Senate. They live in Washington, D.C. and attend Page School while working in the U.S. Senate. Pages deliver correspondence and legislative material within the Capitol and Senate office buildings, prepare the Chamber for Senate sessions, and work on the Senate floor.

Contact my office and the Senate Page Coordinator for more information on the program for 16 or 17-year-olds in their junior year of high school. We are now taking applications for Spring 2026.

It was great to meet five homeschool families from the Richfield area who were touring Washington, D.C. this week. 

Our office can help you book several different tours for your upcoming trip to make it truly special. From the Capitol to the White House to the FBI, check out my Visiting DCwebpage for more information. 

Around Wisconsin 

Our staff presented a Certificate of Special Senatorial Recognition to the Executive Director of Community Action for the organization’s 60th anniversary. The group fights poverty in Rock and Walworth counties. 
 

The Spirit Cultural Exchange visits Madison each year with J-1 visa participants (also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa) to tour the State Capitol. 

My staff met with these students from around the world to talk about United States government at the state and federal level.