Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., addresses the media at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday as Senate Republicans unveil their budget plan aimed at advancing core elements of President Trump’s domestic agenda.
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Senate Republicans have revealed their proposed policy and budget blueprint, gearing up for a showdown with some party members and their counterparts in the House as they aim to implement a significant portion of President Trump’s legislative agenda.
On Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, released the 70-page text of the Senate budget resolution. Voting on the comprehensive legislation is expected to commence by this weekend.
The proposal would increase the nation’s debt ceiling by $5 trillion to prevent a potential financial default this summer, and it seeks to make tax cuts introduced during Trump’s first term permanent. The House-approved $4.5 trillion tax plan associated with Trump is part of the package.
“Today marks a crucial step in ensuring the Republican majority meets its commitment to the American people to secure our borders, enhance national security, make President Trump’s tax cuts permanent, and curtail spending,” Graham stated.
If approved, this multitrillion-dollar measure could symbolize a key aspect of Trump’s second term, reshaping the U.S. budget across defense, energy, immigration, and tax policies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., mentioned that the legislation would facilitate “generational investment” in areas such as border security, national defense, and energy initiatives.
“Republicans in both the Senate and the House are dedicated to collaborating with President Trump to prevent Democrats from imposing an automatic $4 trillion tax increase on the American public at the end of this year,” Thune announced regarding the extension of the Trump tax cuts.
Thune indicated that the initiative also aims to downsize the federal government’s scale and functions.
Earlier this year, Senate Republicans, frustrated by delays stemming from intra-party conflicts in the House, advanced ahead in developing the package. This has caused concern among House Republicans, who have a tighter margin for their majority, regarding the possible loss of support for the Senate version.
Senate Republicans created a resolution incorporating some leeway on spending reductions; however, it might still encounter challenges in the House, where a faction of conservatives is advocating for a higher reduction amount.
South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman expressed skepticism about supporting a Senate resolution with a proposed range of spending cuts, stating to reporters, “To me, it’s dead on arrival.”
Regarding the cuts, he specified, “It has to be at least $2 trillion — we must be united on that.” Norman also voiced his opposition to the $5 trillion debt ceiling increase, stating, “I struggled with 4 [trillion]. I went along with that [for the House budget reconciliation plan in February].”
To circumvent a filibuster in the Senate and enact new policies, Republicans are utilizing a mechanism within the budget process known as reconciliation. The measures they include must significantly influence the budget to qualify for a simple majority vote.
Nevertheless, even if they pass this resolution, there will be several procedural obstacles to navigate before they could potentially approve any new policies.
Regardless, Thune stated on Wednesday his optimism about Republicans moving forward.
“The Senate parliamentarian has reviewed the Budget Committee’s substitute amendment and deemed it suitable for consideration under the Budget Act,” Thune mentioned. “It’s time for the Senate to proceed with this budget resolution to further promote our collective Republican agenda in Congress.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, echoing concerns from other Democrats, criticized the proposal, asserting it would lead to extensive cuts.
“As Americans begin to feel the repercussions of the stark Republican cuts, they’re rapidly advancing their plan to dismantle essential programs and remove Americans from Medicaid, all to provide substantial tax breaks to billionaires,” he said in a statement.
NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.
