The Senate is expected to pass a budget resolution with two settlement bills. In contrast, President Donald Trump says he only wants one bill.
WASHINGTON – The Republican Conference of the US Senate will move forward with its own budget plan to fund President Donald Trump’s policy initiatives, even after Trump himself rejected the plan on February 19th.
Many of Trump’s administrative and financial plans include building walls along the US border with Mexico, eliminating all illegal immigrants from the US, and expanding provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Employment Act (TCJA). To fund it must be established by the Congress. New laws approving funds.
Regular Senate procedures to pass such bills will limit debate and support calling “coagulation” to end the “filibuster” that will run out of watches by opposition. It requires. Given that Republicans have only 53 seats in the Senate, the support of at least seven Democrat senators will be needed to incite solidification. This is an unlikely outcome given the partisan nature of the ongoing budget war in Congress.
Instead, Congressional Republicans relied on the “budget settlement” process as an alternative mechanism for enacting such bills. This process allows Congress to pass financial laws, although restrictive, that limit discussion in the Senate, thereby removing the requirement for solidification of 60 votes.
The settlement bill can only affect taxation, expenditures and public borrowing. It excludes pure policy changes such as immigration law reforms, but it should not increase the federal deficit after 10 years, known as the “bird rule.”
To begin the settlement process, the Senate and House of Representatives must simultaneously pass “budget resolutions” for that fiscal year. This year must be directed to the committee to make final recommendations, stating that it is an issue where spending will increase or decrease. invoice.
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It was this early stage that Senate and House Republicans most disagree with regard to their strategy of the process.
The Senate is about to pass two settlement bills this fiscal year, with the first year focusing on increasing border security and spending on US military. The reason for this approach is related to the lack of consensus on tax cuts, particularly efforts to expand the TCJA regulations.
Senate majority leader John Randolph Tune (Rs.D.) said he aims to make TCJA’s tax rate cuts “permanent.” To comply with the Bird Rules, the bill must make significant spending cuts. There is fear that social programs such as Medicaid could be targeted, which will damage some Republicans politically.
“(Medicaid) is on the table,” said Thomas Jeffrey “Tom” Cole (R-Okla), chairman of the House Approximately Expenditure Committee, at the policy retreat at the conference held in Doral, Florida on January 29th. told the Epoch Times.
In contrast, in the House of Representatives, Republican leaders show that their meetings alone can only realistically consider one settlement bill. The broad disagreement of opinion on the level of government spending and the narrow one-seat majority in the meeting means that two members could be defeated. A bill that involves joining opposing Democrats.
The House budget resolution, which advanced from the committee on the floor on February 13, also includes lower spending levels (border security and military) than the Senate resolution, suggesting the impact that fiscal conservatives have on pruning funds. I’m doing it. The final bill.
“For a home, a one-building strategy makes the most sense,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a January 29 press conference in Doral, Florida.
“We need both chambers to “kickstart” the House budget and move all our priorities to the concept of “one big beautiful bill,” Trump said. I did.
However, Senate Republicans are keen to see Trump rejecting their plans. “If the house can produce ‘one big and beautiful bill’, we’re ready to work with them… But I believe the president also likes options,” he said. Thune spoke at a press conference on February 19th.
Thune had previously vowed to pass the Senate budget resolution by February 21st. To that end, the Senate won several hours of discussion and a series of votes on February 20th, passed the resolution and began the bill drafting process, their home. This process could be extended as Democrats introduce several amendments that sought to maximize discussion time and undermine the resolution.
It remains unclear if the Senate passes the resolution or not the house will consider it. The House is expected to bring its own budget resolution to the floor vote next week.
Graham’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
