House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith pushed back Thursday on Newsmax against criticism from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and billionaire Elon Musk, saying deeper federal spending cuts are possible — but only with the support of a majority in both chambers.

Rep. Smith, R-Mo., defended the scope of proposed spending cuts delivering nearly $1.7 trillion in mandatory savings in House Republicans’ major economic package, telling critics like Paul that further reductions must come with political consensus.

Appearing on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Smith highlighted that the House bill already includes sweeping cuts. “In the Ways and Means Committee alone, we cut more than $1 trillion in tax policies, including $200 billion of EV tax credits,” Smith said. “We cut more than a half $1 trillion of the Green New Deal tax scam. We did that in the Ways and Means Committee.”

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