Senate Republicans on the Brink of Change
By David MorganWASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican-led U.S. Senate is on the cusp of significant change as they strive to resolve internal conflicts regarding President Donald Trump’s agenda. In an effort to move past these disagreements and advance Trump’s priorities, the Senate is gearing up to initiate a substantial $300 billion, four-year plan aimed at funding border security and military initiatives.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham disclosed to reporters on Wednesday that preparations are underway to begin drafting a budget resolution. This resolution will not only allocate funds but also task committees with identifying offsets for the new expenditures. The Senate is hopeful that action will be taken in the upcoming weeks. Additionally, Republicans are also planning to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and introduce other tax proposals in a separate procedural move later in the year.
In order to navigate the deep divisions surrounding spending cuts that have impeded House efforts to enact Trump’s comprehensive agenda, Senate Republicans, along with some House members, are advocating for a two-bill strategy. The primary goal is to streamline the legislative process and overcome these obstacles.
“I hope to commence the process as early as next week,” stated Graham, a senator from South Carolina, following his presentation of the plan to Senate Republicans during a luncheon meeting. He further added, “The process may be time-consuming but ideally not prolonged, possibly taking weeks rather than months.”
President Trump is urging lawmakers to extend his 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire by the end of the year and are projected to cost approximately $4 trillion over a decade, according to the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Some conservative House Republicans are advocating for substantial spending cuts to offset the impact of the tax cuts on the federal government’s existing $36 trillion debt.
Graham outlined that the Senate budget resolution will allocate around $150 billion for Trump’s border security and immigration enforcement plan, with an additional sum to bolster the U.S. military in response to global threats.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, representing Louisiana, has encountered challenges in passing a budget resolution due to internal disagreements among hardline conservatives and moderate Republicans concerned about the potential effects of deep spending cuts on public services within their constituencies.
The budget resolutions play a crucial role in initiating the parliamentary procedures devised by Republicans to circumvent Democratic opposition within the Senate. Despite efforts to reach a consensus on a blueprint during a recent gathering at a Trump resort in Miami, House Republicans have yet to finalize a deal.
Johnson remains optimistic about the House’s ability to take action promptly, although Senate Republicans are skeptical about the House’s readiness to progress. “The Senate can take action. Hopefully, we can set an example, and the House will follow suit,” remarked Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, a member of Graham’s committee. “While the aspiration for a comprehensive bill is understood, it was simply not feasible.”
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone)
