Senate adopts fallback budget in case Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ falters

Senate Republicans adopted their budget early Friday morning that could pave the way for enacting President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda — but only if GOP lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol can rally around one strategy.

Senators voted 52-48 on the GOP budget resolution, with Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky joining all Democrats in opposition, after more than 10 hours of debate and 25 roll call votes on amendments.

Under normal circumstances, when one party controls Congress and the White House, adopting a budget resolution is the first step toward unlocking the power to pass major legislation outside the constraints of the Senate filibuster. This time, however, the action was largely symbolic. House Republicans are pursuing a vastly different approach, with Trump’s resounding backing this week, and there’s little indication at the moment of how and when the two chambers will find the common ground necessary to proceed with the massive legislative package they desire.

The Senate action was ultimately about broadcasting a direct message across the Capitol.

“To my House colleagues: I prefer one big, beautiful bill,” Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a floor speech before a marathon of amendment votes. “But we have to have a Plan B if you can’t get it done soon.”

On social media Thursday night, as the Senate was about to embark on the “vote-a-rama” amendment spree to adopt its budget measure, the president thanked Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republican senators for “working so hard on funding the Trump Border Agenda.”

After speaking to Trump around that same time, though, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said Trump’s expression of thanks was “a very little nod towards” the Senate bill amid his explicit favoritism of the House’s budget.

“He made clear to me … he wants one big, beautiful bill. He said that two or three times on the phone,” Hawley told reporters. Asked why the Senate would work late into the night on a plan that doesn’t meet the president’s desires, Hawley responded: “Great question. That's sort of what he said to me.”

At stake is Trump’s first-year legacy — even as he continues to muddy the waters amid the House-Senate impasse that could jeopardize it.

The Senate’s budget resolution calls for a legislative package that would include up to $175 billion for border security and $150 billion in new defense spending, along with a variety of provisions designed to expand domestic energy production. But House Republicans want to adopt a budget resolution next week that would unlock the “big, beautiful bill” Trump has endorsed, pairing similar border security, defense and energy targets with trillions of dollars in tax cuts and at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts.

The Senate’s top tax writer, Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), said Thursday night that failing to extend “key” pieces of the 2017 tax cuts Republicans passed during the first Trump administration would be “economically devastating for millions of hard-working taxpayers.”

“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Crapo said of the need to extend the tax cuts, which are due to expire at year’s end.

The Senate budget does not include a framework for extending those tax cuts, however, as GOP senators want to punt that task to a second party-line bill later this year.

Senate Republicans argue that their slimmed-down plan would more quickly deliver the president a deluge of military and border security cash, allowing Trump to make good on his campaign-trail promises without getting snagged by the complicated debate over balancing tax cuts with spending cuts. House GOP leaders argue that pushing off debate on an extension of the 2017 tax cuts is too great a risk, with many Republican leaders saying a failure to extend the cuts would throw the U.S. into a recession — not to mention hurt the reelection prospects of GOP incumbents.

The House’s catchall approach is due to face a critical test next week, when House Republicans have scheduled a Monday committee meeting to tee up their budget for floor debate. But Speaker Mike Johnson is still working to win over more than a dozen holdouts. The House budget resolution would call for committees to find at least $1.5 trillion in savings to pay for their bill, which would likely have to come from steep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and Pell Grants. Moderate Republicans are balking at the proposition.

Senate Republicans are facing dissension within their own ranks, too, with a broad swath of conservatives warning they are ready for a weeks-long fight over how to pay for their own version of the party-line bill.

“What gives? Are Republicans for getting rid of waste, fraud and abuse — and reducing the deficit, balancing the budget, as the president says — or are they really for increasing spending by $340 billion?” said Paul, citing the spending increases the Senate budget framework would allow for the Pentagon, border security and the Coast Guard.

Ultimately, if GOP leaders in the House can wrangle the near unity necessary to adopt a budget measure that sets the stage for writing and passing one big bill, Senate Republicans are expected to embrace that overall strategy. That will, however, require senators to endure another vote-a-rama to approve that budget.

Democrats would welcome the opportunity, eager for chances in the coming months to force Republicans to take politically difficult votes on amendments that paint the party as uninterested in protecting services for middle-class and low-income Americans.

“We Democrats are glad to have this debate,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor. “Let's have it two or three more times. … Bring it on.”

Though the amendments were largely non-binding, Democrats forced Republicans on the record opposing issues like requiring insurers to cover in vitro fertilization, tax cuts for people making more than $1 million a year, stopping hedge funds from buying single-family homes and rehiring federal workers who have been fired in the first weeks of the Trump administration. Democrats also offered several amendments on protecting Medicaid and Medicare coverage, as well as blocking cuts to school lunch programs, local law enforcement agencies and research on bird flu.

Topics

Senate adopts $340 billion budget blueprint for Trump's agenda after marathon 'vote-a-rama'

The Republican-controlled Senate on Friday morning adopted a $340 billion budget blueprint designed to boost funding for President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement efforts, energy production ...
NBC News - 3d
Senate adopts GOP budget plan in "vote-a-rama," despite Trump backing competing House plan

The Senate has adopted a slimmed-down GOP budget proposal focusing on defense, border security, and energy priorities, despite President Trump's earlier backing of a competing plan put forward by ...
CBS News - 3d
Senate adopts budget resolution after marathon overnight vote-a-rama

The Senate on Friday adopted a budget resolution intended to serve as a blueprint to deliver the first part of President Trump’s agenda. Senators voted 52-48 along party lines on the resolution ...
The Hill - 3d
Trump stuns Senate GOP with House budget endorsement

“Did not see that one coming,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.
Politico - 5d
Trump floats multi-bill strategy as Hill Republicans struggle on budget

Politico - 3d
US Senate passes budget resolution to fund Trump’s deportation plan

Bill approving $175bn for border security and extra $150bn for Pentagon faces tough challenge in House. US politics live – latest updates The US Senate has passed a budget resolution that ...
The Guardian - 3d
Senate stares down an all-nighter to approve a ‘Plan B’ budget Trump spurned

Politico - 4d
Graham defends Senate budget resolution amid Trump opposition: 'Complete game changer'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) defended the Senate's budget resolution, which rolled in during the wee hours of Friday morning and involves a two-track process instead of the one large spending bill ...
The Hill - 3d
Vance keeps Senate budget plan alive

Politico - 5d
Morning Report — Senators muscle forward in the budget fight

In today’s issue: Congress is giving President Trump two possible options to anchor his agenda in a budget. With House GOP leadership still working on their single “big, beautiful” budget bill ...
The Hill - 3d
Senate Republicans approve budget framework, pushing past Democratic objections

Republican senators pushed a $340 billion budget framework to passage over Democratic objections after a nearly all-night vote
ABC News - 3d
Details on Senate-passed GOP budget plan after "vote-a-rama"

Senate Republicans have passed a budget resolution after pulling an all-nighter through a process known as "vote-a-rama." The passage comes despite President Trump's earlier backing of a competing ...
CBS News - 3d
Senate G.O.P. Passes Budget Resolution, and Punts on Tough Questions

Approval of the Republican budget plan left major questions about tax cuts and spending reduction for another day.
The New York Times - 3d
Facing Trump’s Threats, New York’s Governor Adopts a ‘Rambo’ Attitude

Gov. Kathy Hochul has embraced a more aggressive stance as she takes on President Trump, deals with Mayor Eric Adams and nears a competitive election next year.
The New York Times - 3d
Senate Passes G.O.P. Budget Plan After Democrats Force Long Night of Votes

Before adopting Republicans’ budget resolution, senators engaged in an all-night parliamentary marathon that Democrats used to try to force the G.O.P. into politically damaging votes.
The New York Times - 3d
Senate HELP Committee advances Trump's Education pick

Politico - 4d
Trump asserts dominance as GOP senators come to heel

President Trump has proven to be a dominant force in politics and other aspects of American life in his first month back in the White House, showcasing how much his influence has grown since he ...
The Hill - 2d
McConnell becomes maverick for Trump, GOP Senate

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) decision to conclude his storied political career marks the end of an era for Senate Republicans, especially as the longtime GOP leader increasingly signals he’s a ...
The Hill - 2d
PBS and NPR on edge over FCC letter and Trump budget scrutiny

PBS President Paula Kerger has felt the heat from politicians over government funding before. But this time the FCC is focusing on the nonprofit's sponsorships.
Los Angeles Times - 3d
House Republicans face headwinds as they seek to pass budget for Trump's agenda

House Republican leaders are eying a high-stakes vote this week on a sweeping budget resolution to pass President Donald Trump's agenda.
NBC News - 26m
Trump Labor Nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer Faces Pressure at Senate Hearing

Asked for her views on pro-labor legislation she backed as a House Republican, Lori Chavez-DeRemer said she would simply serve the president’s agenda.
The New York Times - 4d
Senate Democrat after Brown ouster: Trump's 'quest for power' endangers military

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) offered President Trump a fiery rebuke late Friday, admonishing the president for the administration's moves to overhaul the Defense Department, which he says are rankling ...
The Hill - 2d
Bongino, Trump’s pick for No. 2 at FBI, ripped GOP senators

Dan Bongino, the radio and podcast host tapped by President Trump to serve as deputy FBI director, has ripped Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) in the past, attacks ...
The Hill - 4h
GOP Kentucky Senate candidate knocks McConnell for Trump 'no' votes

Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R), who recently launched a bid for the seat being vacated by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R), criticized his fellow Kentuckian for voting against ...
The Hill - 1h
Thanks to Trump, Saudi Arabia Gets a Big Week in Diplomacy

Riyadh is hosting U.S., Russian and Arab officials for high-stakes talks on Ukraine and Gaza, more proof of its regional clout and warm relations with President Trump.
The New York Times - 4d
Trump considers tariffs to counter digital services taxes on Big Tech

President orders probes into levies imposed by EU, UK and Turkey on US companies
Financial Times - 2d
Amundi CIO says Trump’s move to rein in regulators is a ‘big mistake’

Asset manager’s chief investment officer Vincent Mortier warns president is risking undermining trust in US economy
Financial Times - 14h
Senate GOP to vote on its plan for Trump's agenda despite Trump backing House plan

Senate Republicans plowing ahead with their efforts to advance the first stage of their two-part package to pay for Trump's agenda despite Trump backing the House’s plan.
ABC News - 3d
GOP senator says he wouldn’t change Constitution for third Trump term unless Americans ‘chose to’

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) tells Kristen Welker he believes that calls from Trump allies to extend President Trump’s time in office are “a joke.”
NBC News - 1d
Spiral kick back in fashion – and it is beautiful to behold

Oh, the spiral is so back.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
US politics briefing: Trump administration warns Kyiv and picks up court win in mass firings case

From the Trump administration’s latest moves abroad and in the US – here are the key US politics stories from Thursday at a glance. Thursday saw a judge rule that the Trump administration can ...
The Guardian - 3d
Judges in D.C., Once Flooded With Jan. 6 Cases, Turn to Trump’s Executive Actions

The jurists are grappling with how to handle a different sort of bid for power by Mr. Trump, sometimes halting his blizzard of executive orders and sometimes letting them move forward.
The New York Times - 2d
Trump scores big legal wins, but efforts to reshape government still face court hurdles

The Trump administration's efforts to swiftly remake the federal government notched some big wins in court this week — including a ruling that allows its firing spree to continue — but a number of ...
NBC News - 2d
Crypto and big tech’s backing pays off as Trump makes tech-friendly moves

Flurry of directives relaxes regulations and drop lawsuit – and billionaires who donated to Trump are ready to benefit. The millions that US tech companies invested in currying favor with Donald ...
The Guardian - 2d
Oscars Rewind: How ‘American Beauty’ Lost Its Luster

At the 2000 Academy Awards, the film won five Oscars, including best picture. Then came 9/11, a tanking economy and Kevin Spacey.
The New York Times - 2d
5 Podcasts About Beauty, Skin Care and Self-Care

Cutting through the marketing noise and TikTok trends, these shows deliver unbiased, straightforward tips on everything from serums to supplements.
The New York Times - 2d
'Nightmare visit to beauty spot made me infamous on Tiktok'

Chelsea Coltart - whose car got damaged and was fined in the Peak District - wants to warn others.
BBC News - 1d
Will Republicans in Congress agree on a budget plan?

The Senate adopted a narrower budget proposal although Republicans in the House of Representatives are pushing ahead with different plan endorsed by President Trump. CBS News' Taurean Small reports.
CBS News - 3d
Beijing embraces DeepSeek to lead AI adoption as it looks for new growth drivers

DeepSeek's rise came as a timely confidence boost as the Chinese leadership faces a prolonged economic gloom and a brewing trade war with U.S.
CNBC - 3d