A Governing Agenda for Senate Republicans

Unfortunately, the red wave Republicans hoped for didn’t materialize. It makes you wonder how bad things have to get before voters reject the Democratic policies responsible for so much destruction. Massive, out-of-control deficit spending sparked 40-year-high inflation. The war on fossil fuels has produced record prices, which also contributed to inflation. Radical progressive policies have caused crime to skyrocket, and President Biden’s open border has resulted in a flood of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs.

Republicans campaigned against these failed policies and vowed to reverse them. With Mr. Biden still in the White House and Senate control still in doubt, accomplishing that will be difficult. But the American people expect results. If Republicans gain the Senate majority, allowing the current dysfunction to continue won’t be an option.

If we gain majorities in both chambers, at a minimum we can bring greater function and regular order back to Congress. Rank-and-file members should vote only for leaders who commit to passing a budget that drives a fiscally conservative appropriation process. Ideally, we can find sufficient budget cuts and rescissions from the Democrats’ massive spending bills to produce a balanced budget. If not, the debt ceiling will have to be increased, but only with other legislation attached that will minimize the need for future increases.

I have four bills in mind: the Prevent Government Shutdown Act, the Full Faith and Credit Act, the Reins Act (an acronym for Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) and the Reducing the Size of the Federal Government Through Attrition Act. Collectively, these bills would help control the size, scope and cost of the federal government.

Senate Republican Conference rules require us to adopt an official legislative agenda. In my 12 years in the Senate, this has never occurred. Again, members should vote only for leaders who commit to both adopting the required agenda and fully involving the conference in its development. I suggest two agendas, one for the next two years under a Democratic president, and a four-year agenda that can be adopted by Republican presidential and congressional candidates running in 2024.

A few basic principles should apply to both agendas. On the discretionary side of the budget, other than national defense, don’t consider any bill that would increase the size, scope or cost of the federal government. Instead, focus congressional attention on oversight of existing programs to determine which should be reformed, reduced or eliminated. Concentrate on areas of the budget that have the greatest negative effect on freedom, our economy and people’s lives.

The four-year agenda would assume Republican control of both chambers of Congress and the White House. It would prioritize reversing the damage done during the Biden administration and re-establishing constitutional balance. Unlike 2017, Republicans must be fully prepared should voters give us the opportunity to govern.

The agenda items should be obvious: secure the border, regain energy independence, restore fiscal sanity, ease the regulatory burden, and ensure a competitive tax environment.

Having an open and transparent process for development of the agenda will be crucial to gaining the conference’s support. The devil will be in the details, and we must have the substantive policy proposals supporting each agenda item. Empty political rhetoric won’t be acceptable. Once the agenda is completed, explaining and selling our policy proposals to the public is essential. Expectations will probably exceed what is possible with a Democratic administration in power, so underpromising and overdelivering is the prudent approach.

My sense is that Republicans will be on a short leash with the general public—and this definitely includes our supporters. We should fully expect to be held accountable in 2024 if we don’t deliver on our promises.

Conservatives understand the peril the country is in. They know how difficult it will be for Republicans to work with the socialist ideologues who set the Democratic Party’s agenda. But that sympathy will have its limits, particularly if Republicans return to business as usual. We simply can’t let that happen.

Mr. Johnson, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Wisconsin.