Johnson "has the votes" to pass key budget measure

• "I'm happy to tell you that this morning, I believe we have the votes to finally adopt the budget resolution so we can move forward on President Trump's very important agenda for the American people," Johnson said at the press conference.
• "We're ready to move forward," Thune said. "I'm hoping that the speaker and his team and his House colleagues can succeed today."
• Both leaders sought to reassure reticent House Republicans that they'd seek substantial spending cuts. House Republicans want at least $1.5 trillion.

Zoom in: More than a dozen House Republicans refused to back the budget resolution Wednesday night, a disaster for Johnson who wants to get the measure passed before the Easter recess. Passage would kick off the reconciliation process.

• Holdouts have primarily raised concern about the Senate's commitment to significantly slashing government spending.
• The resolution would raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, permanently extend the 2017 tax cuts and provide more than $300 billion for the border and defense.

• It directs Senate committees to find a minimum of $4 billion in savings, far less than the House's demands for at least $1.5 trillion in savings.

Behind the scenes: Thune and Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) met with House holdouts for nearly an hour Wednesday night, trying to convince members that the chamber is serious about spending cuts.

• Senate leaders assured the lawmakers the lower minimum for spending cuts was merely a function of the chamber's rules, and discussed targets far beyond the $4 billion, according to a source familiar with what was said.