Senate Republicans say they’re transferring ahead with their plan to deal with President Trump’s priorities regardless of Trump endorsing the Home’s competing technique.
Rising from a gathering Wednesday with Vice President Vance, Republicans mentioned the higher chamber will press on with a price range decision that might unlock the method they hope to make use of to cross giant parts of Trump’s agenda with out Democratic help.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S.D.) informed reporters Wednesday that Trump likes “optionality” and that the Senate would press on with its plan, which he touted addresses “the president’s top priority, which is securing the border, implementing and putting in place his immigration policies, rebuilding our military and creating energy dominance for this country.”
“The House, as you know, is working on a different budget resolution, and we certainly wish them all the success in moving it. We will work closely with them. More power to them,” he mentioned, noting the Home is engaged on getting “the tax piece of this done.”
Senate Finances Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) informed reporters the plan is for the higher chamber to maneuver ahead “tomorrow with a vote-a-rama,” a marathon voting session that could be a key subsequent step for the Senate to maneuver its price range plan ahead.
“I’m pulling for the House to pull it together and get one big, beautiful bill, but it’s got to be consistent with President Trump’s tax agenda,” he informed reporters, “and right now, you know, the tax agenda is to make the tax cuts permanent. And the House bill doesn’t do that.”
“That would be a problem in the Senate, but I trust Speaker [Mike] Johnson to pull it together, and when he does pull together a bill that meets the priorities, I will be his biggest fan,” Graham continued.
Senators who attended the huddle with Vance mentioned the vice chairman listened and took questions from members.
“I think he said that the president likes, as you heard, optionality, and that having a two-track system, even though he prefers the one bill, his message to us was to move forward, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) informed The Hill.
However Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) mentioned when pressed by reporters that Vance didn’t say “exactly” that he was fantastic with the Senate’s two-track strategy. “He did not contradict the president.”
“We keep getting told by other people, leadership and others that really he’s fine with two bills,” he mentioned, referring to Trump. “He says he wants one, but he’s really fine with two. But I don’t know.”
Requested if he’d vote for the price range plan, Hawley mentioned if the “president supports it, and this has been — I have some assurance for that — I’ll support it, but this just seems a little bizarre to me.”
Trump caught GOP senators off guard Wednesday when he indicated his desire on social media for the Home GOP’s technique to advance his agenda in a single sweeping invoice, versus the two-track plan being pursued within the higher chamber.
Whereas the president mentioned each chambers have been taking efforts to advance his priorities, he mentioned the Home plan “implements my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it” – which he famous is “unlike the Lindsey Graham version.”
Thune informed reporters shortly after that he ”didn’t see” Trump’s feedback coming and that he hadn’t spoken to the president earlier than his put up.
The Home and Senate Republicans have been racing to advance their very own price range resolutions to unlock a particular course of referred to as reconciliation.
Republicans sought to clarify that the intention is similar behind each efforts: delivering wins on Trump’s legislative agenda in areas like border, tax and protection. However there’s additionally distinct variations in each chambers’ methods.
The plan being pushed by the Home would increase border and protection funds, but in addition permit for doubtlessly trillions of {dollars} in spending reductions and tax cuts. The plan would additionally elevate the debt ceiling by $4 trillion as lawmakers face a ticking clock to forestall a nationwide default this yr.
The Senate plan seeks to cross a narrower invoice that might prioritize growing funds for border and protection, with sights set on hashing out a tax package deal later within the yr.
Home Republicans have pushed again on the Senate technique, arguing a package deal encompassing extra of Trump’s priorities would have higher probabilities within the decrease chamber. However the Home GOP convention already faces severe challenges within the path ahead for its price range plan amid inner divides over tax and spending.
The back-and-forth even appears to be sparking some confusion amongst GOP lawmakers.
“This just seems a little bizarre to me. I can’t quite figure out what we’re doing,” Hawley informed reporters shortly after the lunch, including, “I just — I’m a little baffled as to what, as to what we’re doing.”
Al Weaver contributed.
