Why the Senate likely won’t pass budget reconciliation 3.0
Senate Republicans are divided over a $95 billion budget reconciliation bill backed by President Donald Trump, with leaders signaling it likely won’t pass before August recess.
WASHINGTON —
With just a week left before August recess, Senate Republicans are facing pressure to act on a $95 billion budget bill funding key GOP priorities, including defense spending, farm aid and election-related grants.
But Republican leaders have signaled it’s unlikely they’ll take up the budget framework with Majority Leader John Thune, warning that he doesn’t have the votes to pass it.
The budget resolution, which passed the House last week, sets up the process to approve a third reconciliation bill, known as Budget Reconciliation 3.0.
Republicans and President Donald Trump are using the reconciliation process to bypass a Senate filibuster from Senate Democrats expected to vote “no,” lowering the vote threshold from 60 votes to 51.
The bill has caused division among GOP senators. Some are concerned it spends too much, while farm-state lawmakers argue it spends too little. Others question whether the bill should be taken up at all.
Still, Trump insists the bill must pass, particularly because it includes parts of his election overhaul bill, the SAVE America Act. He even urged supporters to call Thune directly to pressure him.
But Thune has indicated it’s unlikely the Senate will take up the budget resolution before recess. Instead, he says the priority starting this week is passing a temporary funding bill to keep the government open and running.
The reconciliation bill would advance parts of the SAVE America Act through financial incentives, according to experts. Due to Senate rules, Republicans cannot mandate changes to state voting laws through the budget process.
Instead, the bill will likely offer election grants to states that implement voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, aligning with Trump’s demands.
Experts say Republican-led states are likely to adopt these measures, while Democrat-led states are not, making it difficult to enforce the president’s voting requirements nationwide.
Watch more on the Senate’s last week before recess: