The Senate passed a budget resolution 50 to 48 after a long night of work. This moved the vote on DHS funding up to early Thursday. The DHS funding vote is a key part of the Republican plan to pay for immigration agencies through budget reconciliation without getting any help from Democrats.
Republican Plan Moves Forward Thanks to DHS Funding Vote
The DHS funding vote sends the resolution to the House for approval before lawmakers can make a final spending plan and vote on it in both houses. President Trump has set June 1 as the last day for the bill to pass.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said, “We have a lot of work to do, but in the end, Republicans will have helped keep America’s borders safe and stopped Democrats from cutting funding for these important agencies.”
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Senate Republicans want to fund parts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection for more than three years through the DHS spending vote. Republicans said that the final package is expected to cost about $70 billion, but the resolution lets Senate committees suggest laws that would raise spending by up to $70 billion each.
Political Conflict Affects DHS Funding Vote
After a “vote-a-rama” in which senators voted over and over again and suggested unlimited changes, the vote on DHS funding took place. Many Democratic amendments were about the cost of living.
“This will be a reconciliation of contrasts,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “We are relishing that fight.”
Republicans want to give Donald Trump’s private army billions of dollars with no reasonable limits or changes. The goal of the Democrats is to cut costs so that people can keep more of their money.
The DHS funding vote passed even though Democrats didn’t like it because budget reconciliation only needs a simple majority in the Senate. The vote on the DHS budget comes after the department was shut down on February 14 because of a fight over money. Republicans wanted to make up because parts of ICE and CBP were not included in separate spending bills that covered most of the department. Before voting on the DHS budget in the House, Republicans have said they need to be sure that ICE and CBP will be funded.
Kennedy’s Warning and the Vote on DHS Funding. Senator John Kennedy’s push for changes caused a short delay in the DHS budget vote, but he eventually let go of his hold. “This is the last train to leave the station,” he said.
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