Senate adopts $340 billion budget blueprint for Trump's agenda after marathon 'vote-a-rama'
Senate adopts $340 billion budget blueprint for Trump's agenda after marathon 'vote-a-rama'
The 52-48 overnight vote puts pressure on the GOP-controlled House, which plans to take up its own competing budget resolution next week.
Summary
The Republican Senate passed a $340 billion budget blueprint aimed at funding President Trump’s priorities, including $175 billion for border enforcement and $150 billion for military expansion, following an extended vote.
The resolution, adopted 52-48, directs committees to identify spending cuts to offset new funding.
It faces debate over its fiscal impact and amendments addressing cuts to Medicaid and tax policies.
The measure now pressures the GOP House to reconcile differences or adopt a fallback plan.
What about that filibuster Democrats didn't want to get rid of? Isn't this why they said they were keeping it around?
Turns out no, it was just to block progressive legislation. I'll be surprised if Democrats use it one time in the next four years.
Budget bills are not subject to filibuster. There's not a lot they can do to stop this.
From Budget Reconciliation Explainer
Executive Summary
In the 119th Congress, Republicans might use reconciliation to push through their policy goals.
What is “reconciliation”?
Reconciliation is a tool – a special process – that makes legislation easier to pass in the Senate.
How is it different from a regular bill?
Instead of needing 60 votes, a reconciliation bill only needs a simple majority in the Senate.
People really need to stop blaming the Democrats for not stopping the Republicans for doing evil shit. When an axe-wielding maniac starts killing college co-eds, do you blame the maniac or do you blame the little old lady across the street for not stopping the maniac with her knitting needles. And yes, the Dems are for the most part a bunch of useless little, old ladies because that's who got elected. Don't like it? Get more people to vote in the primaries for more pols like AOC and Bernie Sanders. Assuming we ever have any more elections.
Not subject to filibuster per se, but there was absolutely something they could have done. From TFA:
Under the process, Senate rules allow for members to propose an unlimited number of amendments.
So while not literally a filibuster, they could have effectively filibustered it by simply continuing to propose amendments, preventing the bill itself from ever coming to a vote. Once again, the Democrats are showing themselves unwilling to play hardball.
Yes, knitting needles. We should still be blaming the maniac rather than bitching that the little old lady didn't do enough.
“If we were fiscally conservative, why wouldn’t we take the savings from Elon Musk and DOGE and move it over here and help with the border?” Paul said on the Senate floor before voting began. “Why would we be doing a brand new bill to increase spending by $340 billion?”
I hope he really does think about that. Where is that money?
If the Dems don't block this in Congress, they are worthless as opposition.
This is only the beginning, though. This budget resolution is really just a planning tool, and doesn't mean anything without further action by both houses of Congress. Democrats did what they could in this round, offering specific amendments they knew Republicans would vote down, just to point out where Republicans priorities really lie. It is performative, and only really exists to give Democrats in the next election the ability to run commercials that say "My opponent voted against this thing". But in a close election, that may matter.
And please understand that Republicans have the majority in both houses, and can get anything passed that they can all agree on. (Yes, there is a Filibuster in the Senate, but there are ways around it for budget bills). Democrats may decide to be a permanent "no" vote on all this, and force Republicans to stick together. But be prepared for the fact it may not matter.
Why is the first comment on half the articles here about how Democrats are responsible for what the party in power does?
It doesn't feel sincere.
Because for a party that was screaming at the people that they need to do various things (vote, worry, protest, whatever), Dem party is sickened by inaction. Not even token opposition.
While they do absolutely suck, they can only vote against it and withhold votes but that's all they can really do with a budget bill.
They should be withhold votes and speaking to the public making damn sure everyone knows they are 100% against the bill, they will not even vote for it, and make sure that this budget is all on Republicans and not a single thing came from Democrats and all the fallout will be in them.
I mean to be fair they all voted against it. They have been worthless as opposition so far, but this isn't that.
Am I mistaken, or does this budget represent an approximately 10x increase in border spending over 2022?
You just know most of it is going to be embezzled.