GOP Backstabs Trump

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Senate Republicans are signaling that President Trump’s push to quickly pass a House-approved budget framework before the August recess faces significant hurdles, with several GOP senators warning the proposal does not yet have enough support to advance.

The House last week approved a budget framework that would provide $73 billion in additional defense spending while funding election security measures tied to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. President Trump has urged the Senate to approve the measure before lawmakers leave Washington for their five-week August recess.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged Wednesday that Republicans currently do not have the 50 votes needed to move the package forward. Trump responded by saying it was “too bad” for both Thune and the Republican Party, insisting the votes are there and urging Senate leaders to get the legislation passed.

Republican senators, however, say more work is needed before they can move ahead. Many want greater clarity on what the final reconciliation package will include and what amendments Democrats could force Republicans to vote on just months before the midterm elections.

Sen. Susan Collins said Congress should focus first on passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded rather than rushing into another budget reconciliation package. She also noted the proposal must still undergo review by the Senate parliamentarian to ensure it complies with reconciliation rules.

Sen. Joni Ernst said she wants more transparency from the Pentagon before approving tens of billions of dollars in additional defense funding, arguing lawmakers have received inconsistent estimates of the military’s financial needs over recent months.

Others believe the House proposal doesn’t go far enough. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said any reconciliation package should include more defense funding than the $73 billion approved by the House, though he did not specify a target amount.

Fiscal conservatives are raising separate concerns, warning they will oppose any package that increases federal spending without corresponding cuts elsewhere in the budget.

Sen. Rand Paul said he would not support using reconciliation to increase the national debt, arguing any new spending should be offset by reductions in other government programs. Sen. Bill Cassidy also questioned moving forward without first understanding how the proposal would be financed.

Another complicating factor is President Trump’s request to include another increase in the federal debt ceiling that would cover the remainder of his term. While Trump has encouraged Republicans to address the issue while they control both chambers of Congress, some GOP senators worry that combining debt-limit legislation with the reconciliation package could make it even harder to pass.

Thune said Senate Republicans remain divided on the proposal and warned that the House framework could involve more than a dozen Senate committees. That would allow Democrats to offer numerous amendments requiring only a simple majority, creating a politically difficult series of votes for Republicans ahead of the November elections.

For now, Senate GOP leaders say the package is not ready for floor action, despite continued pressure from President Trump to move quickly before lawmakers leave for the August recess.