Senate Republicans are once again forging ahead with a reconciliation package to fund immigration enforcement agencies through fiscal year 2029.This comes after a delay in mid-May, when senators left town for a recess without passing the GOP-backed measure over concerns about the Trump administration's effort to use taxpayer dollars to compensate people who allege being targeted by the federal government.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recently told members of Congress the administration has scrapped plans for the anti-weaponization fund, which appeared to ease bipartisan concerns among lawmakers.However, Trump later avoided confirming that the fund is over."The weaponization fund, as far as I'm concerned, was a beautiful thing," Trump told reporters on Wednesday in the Oval Office.Later, pressed again on whether it was dead or just on hold, Trump said: "It's...
I'd have to ask the lawyers, I don't know."The Senate voted to proceed with a reconciliation package that would fund immigration enforcement agencies to the tune of $72 billion.Absent from the package is language that would have provided nearly $1 billion in funding for the Secret Service, including funds for the security of President Trump's planned ballroom.During the vote-a-rama portion of the reconciliation process, Democrats are expected to force their Republican colleagues to take a series of uncomfortable votes on amendments.
The following is adapted from a previous NPR story explaining reconciliation.Let's start at the beginning.
Bills need to pass both chambers of Congress to become laws.In the House, a bill passes when at least 218 members (half of the 435 representatives plus one) support it.In the Senate, most bills need the support of at least 60 senators.
Republicans currently have 53 seats."It's nice to have the Senate majority, and you get pretty titles and gavels, and you can nominally control the floor, but as Schoolhouse Rock! would tell us, unless you have 60 votes for most thing...