Budget Resolution Clears Senate Hurdle

Budget Resolution Clears Senate Hurdle

Source: Fox News

Summary

Senate Republicans passed a budget resolution early Thursday, paving the way for funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. The move effectively cuts out congressional Democrats from the process. The resolution sets aside billions for ICE and Border Patrol, while Democrats had refused to fund the agencies without reforms. The move is seen as a major step towards unlocking the budget reconciliation process.


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The process has entered a familiar phase.

Senators voted through the night, with Democrats attempting to add amendments to the budget blueprint. The amendments, which targeted affordability and economic issues, failed along party lines. Sen. John Kennedy threatened to derail the process, but his amendments ultimately failed. The adoption of the budget resolution doesn’t immediately kick off reconciliation, as the House will need to adopt the same blueprint or modify it.

Lawmakers seem to be playing their expected roles, with Democrats panning Republicans for spending billions on agencies they claim “nobody respects” and Republicans countering that Democrats are the problem.