Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a fiscal hawk who has openly criticized House Republicans' reconciliation bill, predicted Sunday that there are enough in his flock to stop the process "until the president gets serious about spending reduction and reducing the deficit."

The big picture: Pushing President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" through the House was far from a painless process, but the fiscal package now heads to the Senate, where the chamber is likely to make changes.

• Johnson, who has not held back in his criticism of the bill championed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), characterized the GOP-only legislation as "the Titanic" at a Politico event earlier this month.
• Ron Johnson wants deeper cuts, and has repeatedly called for a return to pre-pandemic spending levels.

Driving the news: "This is the weekend we honor the service and sacrifice of the finest among us," Ron Johnson said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, referencing the Memorial Day holiday. He added: "I don't think they served in sacrifice to leave our children completely mortgaged."

• He called for his fellow lawmakers to be "responsible," contending the "first goal of our budget reconciliation process should be to reduce the deficit."
• As he noted, the legislation — which aims to extend Trump's first-term tax cuts, among other priorities — would do the opposite.
• The Congressional Budget Office estimates an increase in the deficit of $3.8 trillion for the 2026–2034 period.

The other side: House Speaker Johnson, also appearing on CNN Sunday to defend the bill, said such estimates are "dramatically overstated," arguing that the CBO does not do "dynamic scoring" and does not account for the growth he says will be fostered by the bill.

• Asked about Ron Johnson's contention that the bill "will almost certainly add to our deficits and debt," the Louisiana Republican pointed to the wide range of opinion in his caucus and said, "we're doing the best we can with the vote numbers that we have."
• Two House Republicans joined Democrats in voting "no" Thursday, while one voted present.

Yes, but: Ron Johnson said he agrees with independent deficit projections that show an increase of up to $4 trillion.

• "You don't defeat the deep state by funding it," he said and added that the process for passing the bill — in order to hit Mike Johnson's Memorial Day goal — has been "rushed."
• Mike Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper the House was trying to get the work done on "a very aggressive timetable."

What we're watching: Asked how many of his fellow GOP senators he thinks share his concerns and would be willing to make major changes to the bill, Ron Johnson said "we have enough to stop the process."

• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) echoed his Senate colleague's criticism, saying on "Fox News Sunday" that the spending cuts included in the House bill "are wimpy and anemic."
• He continued that he "still would support the bill even with wimpy and anemic cuts if they weren't going to explode the debt."
• Other senators, like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), have expressed concerns about changes to Medicaid proposed in the bill.

Go deeper: GOP and Dems agree: "Big, beautiful bill" key to 2026 midterms

Shellfish collectors in Peru make a living harvesting a special mollusk called the barquillo, a primary ingredient in a world-famous ceviche dish. But hunting the elusive seafood comes at a deadly cost.

• An older mom embraces aging, focusing on authenticity over appearances and societal pressures.
• Her experiences as a breast cancer survivor and former teacher shape her parenting approach.
• She prioritizes her children's well-being over grades and avoids overextending herself in commitments.

I'm a mom of four kids, and I'm in my mid-forties. My age becomes glaringly apparent when I'm among other parents who are assisting my youngest child's class: a group of nearly twenty-five second graders with younger parents who appear to be in their late twenties.

Aging is a beautiful thing, they say. Who are they? I'm not sure. However, I absolutely agree that getting older is a gift and, I've discovered, can be quite settling. After all, the things that younger parents are worried about no longer concern me as an "old" mom. I've lived, and I have learned.

I have no desire to keep up with appearances

What you see is what you get with me, including my physical appearance. To be frank, there are twelve-year-olds who do their makeup better than I ever could. My days are often jam-packed with appointments, drop off and pick ups, writing assignments, chores, and errands. I have very little time to care about what others think about my fashion choices and makeup — or lack thereof.

I also don't worry about how I am perceived by others. I embrace that I can be chill and comfortable some days or a Hot Mess Express on other days, all thanks to having four kids plus perimenopause.

Part of my radical acceptance also comes from the fact that I'm a two-time breast cancer survivor. I've been stripped down to almost nothing, fighting for my life, so I have a different perspective on life than many. I simply don't have the mental capacity to attempt to impress others, whether it's my educational degrees, my appearance, or even my parenting skills. Take me or leave me, just don't annoy me.

I don't sweat small stuff, like outfit choices

My new outlook on appearances extends to my kids, too. I no longer demand that they be presentable in order to please others. Gone are the days of matching sibling outfits.

Meet any teen, and you know they will wear the same sweatshirt, every day, no matter how many clothes you buy them. My second grader, within reason, can dress as she pleases, as I have learned dressing oneself is a form of self-expression and independence. It doesn't hurt anyone that her clothes are mismatched.

I focus on different things with my kids

As an older mom, I know better than to obsess over my kids' grades or sports scores. Basically, the numbers don't make the kid.

Before I became a mom, I was a college teacher. I quickly learned that how well a kid did number-wise in school turned out to have very little to do with their future success. I understand that if my children's physical, mental, and emotional health aren't in order, academics and rankings are inconsequential.

I know better than to overextend myself

There are loads of volunteer opportunities, and I don't sign up for every one. The reality is, I don't have time. The other reason is because, truthfully, I don't want to. I do not feel obligated to be busting my butt at every volunteer opportunity each of my four kids has. Instead, my husband and I split some of the duties, and we also prioritize. No, if you recall, is a complete sentence.

I let my kids figure out some things on their own

I don't summon the manager, er, principal, every single time someone calls my kid a name, because I've learned this simply isn't an emergency. Instead, I invest in teaching my kids coping skills, listening to their feelings, and offering guidance. Mama Bear does come out when something is beyond my kids' capabilities and the situation is persistently an issue, but I conserve my energy for the bigger battles and try not to sweat the small stuff.

I'm comfortable in my role

Gone are my days of wrangling little ones into strollers and frantically trying to change diapers and serve snacks. Instead, my world has changed from keeping up with babies to being the family chauffeur. It feels good to be an older and wiser parent who knows how to stay in my lane — because that's all I have the capacity for.