WASHINGTON — On Friday, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham unveiled the budget resolution’s wording, which, if the two chambers can reach an agreement, will set the stage for Republicans in Congress to improve defense spending, restructure border security, and address energy extraction.
Amid a continuing impasse in the House GOP over both procedure and policy, the Republican from South Carolina declared earlier this week that he would proceed with the Senate’s initial steps.
Although Graham’s budget continues forward with a two-package proposal, House Republicans spent hours Thursday at the White House trying to find a way to come together over campaign pledges they expect to pass in a single, sizable package.
Although the House has not yet released a budget resolution or announced an agreement between the centrist and far-right members within its conference, Graham’s move to go ahead of the House seems to inspire some enthusiasm in that chamber.
In a statement, Graham said, “Help is on the way to those who voted for and support real border security and a stronger defense in a troubled world.” With the help of this budget resolution, President Trump’s administration will be able to protect the border, deport criminals, and strengthen and increase America’s energy independence.
The 61-page budget resolution will be marked up by the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday and Thursday. The Senate floor will then probably be used for debate and a protracted, all-night amendment voting session before it moves on to the House.
Before formally starting the reconciliation process, which enables lawmakers to approve legislation in the Senate without going through procedural votes that need the support of at least 60 senators, the House and Senate must agree on a budget resolution. Therefore, Democrats in the Republican-controlled chamber would not need to approve the legislation (53–47).
Although they could have a conference to resolve their differences before taking additional floor votes in each house on a single final budget resolution, the two chambers passing separate budget resolutions would not satisfy the standards.
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Armed Services, Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Public Works, Finance, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Judiciary committees would all receive reconciliation instructions from the Senate budget resolution.
The reconciliation guidelines start to make clear how much each committee will need to spend on its bill or identify savings to help cover the total cost, but they don’t go into great detail on how each committee would specifically craft its portion of the reconciliation package.
For instance, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s plan is expected to cost roughly $150 billion because it is instructed to construct its portion of the package so as not to increase the deficit by more than that amount.
Given that its reconciliation instructions require the panel to cut the deficit by at least $1 billion, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP, Committee seems to be one of the committees anticipated to make some savings. Under the leadership of Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican, the committee has broad authority over the Department of Health and Human Services and its programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
With a $20 billion budget, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, a $1 billion topline for Environment and Public Works, a $175 billion funding level for Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and a $175 billion spending allocation for the Judiciary, the committees will be able to spend money from the reconciliation package.
At least $1 billion in savings must be found by the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee; at least $1 billion must be saved by a measure drafted by Energy and Natural Resources; and at least $1 billion in cost-cutting must be provided by Finance. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are under the purview of Finance, which is headed by Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo.
Before March 7, the committees must write and approve their portions of the reconciliation package before sending them to the Senate Budget Committee.
According to the directives, Graham is pursuing the two-pronged strategy for reconciliation that has been advocated by Senate Republicans and even by numerous House GOP leaders.
In contrary to Speaker Mike Johnson’s demands, they have proposed two packages, one centered on taxation and the other on border security, defense expenditure, and energy policy.
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, wants Congress to approve a single package that includes all of the GOP’s policy reforms.
Unless GOP leaders engage in negotiations with Democrats, the policy changes would not be able to forward if they could not agree on a method.
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.