Overview
- Senate GOP leaders plan to release a budget resolution and seek a procedural vote as early as Tuesday to start a reconciliation bill that would fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection for roughly three years.
- The blueprint directs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Judiciary committees to write the bill, and leaders want the House to adopt the same resolution to skip an extra round of Senate amendment voting.
- A vote-a-rama of unlimited amendments is expected, and senators in both parties are eyeing test votes on add-ons such as tax changes, energy and disaster aid, or measures tied to the war with Iran.
- Top Republicans, with President Donald Trump’s backing, argue for a tightly focused plan, while conservatives including Ted Cruz and John Kennedy urge adding cost-of-living and tax provisions to broaden the package.
- House Republicans remain split on strategy, with Freedom Caucus opposition to a two-track plan helping keep DHS partially shut for more than two months and leaving the timeline to reopen the department uncertain.