Republican leaders in the Senate have played down expectations for quick action, if the House manages to pass it. The blueprint faces opposition from defense hawks who want more Pentagon spending, deficit hawks who want spending cuts to pay for the outlays and others who fear that Trump's partisan voter ID bill could hamper efforts to win the November midterm elections.
The SAVE America Act, which Trump calls his No. 1 legislative priority, lacks the votes to pass the Senate as a standalone bill, given vehement opposition from Democrats who say it would disenfranchise millions of Americans. Republicans intend to use reconciliation to offer states grant money as an incentive to require voters to show photo ID at polling places and proof of citizenship to register to vote, and to turn over state voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security.
Republicans defeated 14 Democratic amendments to advance party priorities including reinstating healthcare, food assistance, educational funding cut by previous bills, curbing Trump's immigration crackdown, revoking Trump tariffs and eliminating spending on the Iran war.
The defense segment is intended to help fund the Iran war, replenish U.S. military weapons stockpiles depleted by the Middle East conflict and boost military readiness, according to Republican lawmakers.
"This budget resolution is a poorly planned, poorly drafted backdoor deal to pay for President Trump's decision to start a war with Iran. It's irresponsible ... and we see it played out every single day on the news," said Democratic Representative Becca Balint of Vermont.
The resolution contains no offsets for the new $95 billion in spending. But Republican committee staff said it would reduce overall spending by capping discretionary spending for fiscal year 2027, which begins October 1, at $1.67 trillion, well below the benchmark being sought by House appropriators. It would also allow increases of no more than 1% for the remainder of the decade.
Democrats warned that the lower spending level would lead to $200 billion in fresh cuts in social programs to help lower-income Americans during the coming years.
The resolution would authorize spending legislation to help U.S. farmers facing higher fuel and fertilizer costs from the war.
(Reporting by David Morgan. Editing by Michael Learmonth and Sanjeev Miglani)
SPY•
