Feb. 21 (UPI) — The Senate passed a $340 billion budget resolution early Friday after Democrats forced a marathon “vote-a-rama” in which Republicans had to reject numerous amendments.
Only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., bucked his party in a 52-48 final vote on the resolution. Democrats used the 10-hour sessions to get Republicans on the record for a wide variety of issues including Medicaid and taxes.
“This budget resolution is a complete game changer when it comes to securing our border and making our military more lethal,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham. “It will allow President Trump to fulfill the promises he made to the American people — a very big deal.”
The bill provides $150 billion for the Department of Defense and another $175 billion for immigration enforcement and border security.
The Senate bill, designed to dodge a filibuster by Democrats, runs counter to the one proposed by House Republicans, who want to add trillions in tax cuts and at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts in what President Donald Trump has called the “one big, beautiful bill.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a rebellion of his own where more than a dozen GOP members are holding out support for the bigger bill. He will try to convince them to change their mind in a committee meeting on Monday, probably the strongest challenge yet to Trump’s presidency.
Republican moderates, many in swing districts, are refusing to go along with projected deep cuts in staple assistance programs in education, medical care and food.
