WASHINGTON — Senators prepared for an overnight session, initiating a critical budget “vote-a-rama” late Thursday aimed at advancing a $340 billion proposal that President Trump’s administration asserts is necessary for extensive deportations and various security initiatives, which are priorities for the Republican Party.
If there was ever a moment to observe Congress’s activities, this is it, albeit with some uncertainty. Senators were set to vote extensively on countless amendments throughout the night, primarily as Democrats sought to obstruct the bill. The eventual outcome would likely culminate in a swift final vote by Republicans, who hold the majority and plan to approve it solely along party lines.
Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham of South Carolina commented at the start of the discussions, stating, “What we are doing today is kickstarting a process to enable the Republican Party to meet President Trump’s immigration objectives.”
Graham indicated that Trump’s immigration advisor informed senators that the administration’s deportation efforts are currently underfunded and require additional congressional appropriations for detaining and deporting immigrants.
Given their limited influence as a minority, Democrats planned to leverage the all-night debate to force Republicans into potentially uncomfortable voting situations, starting with a motion to block tax reductions for billionaires.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer cautioned, “This is going to be a long, drawn-out encounter.” He articulated that such nights, characterized by voting on various amendments, significantly illustrate the positions of both parties and their constituents. Schumer remarked, “Democrats are eager to engage in this discussion.”
The legislative package being contemplated by the Senate is perceived by Republicans as a foundational step toward fulfilling Trump’s agenda. It is part of a broader strategy that eventually aims to promote legislation extending around $4.5 trillion in tax breaks along with additional priorities. This is being orchestrated by House Speaker Mike Johnson as part of a distinctive budget framework also intending to achieve up to $2 trillion in reductions across healthcare and other programs.
While Trump has expressed a preference for a single “big, beautiful bill,” the White House is amenable to the Senate’s approach of developing the border security components first and focusing on tax cuts later in the year.
The Senate Republican proposal allows for up to $175 billion in funding for border security, which incorporates resources for mass deportation and the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, alongside a $150 billion allocation for the Pentagon and around $20 billion designated for the Coast Guard.
Despite the Senate’s potential approval of the package during the overnight debate, immediate funding would not be accessible. The budget resolution itself serves merely as a structural guideline directing various Senate committees—namely Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Judiciary—to refine the specifics. Ultimately, all elements will be compiled into another package, requiring yet another voting session down the line.
Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, emphasized the urgency of providing the resources requested by the administration to tackle illegal border crossings. He stated, “The budget will enable us to complete the wall and will set the stage for hiring more border agents. It signifies additional detention facilities and increased deportation flights.”
Republicans maintain that all proposed funding will be offset rather than simply added to the national debt, exploring multiple strategies involving both spending reductions and increased revenue.
Possibilities include reversing the methane emissions fee imposed by the Biden administration, a measure adopted as part of the climate initiatives in the Inflation Reduction Act, alongside efforts to generate new income from energy leasing to boost domestic energy production.
Democrats are poised for a robust response. A significant initial vote aims to block tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, as indicated by an insider speaking on condition of anonymity.
Democrats contend that the 2017 GOP tax reductions primarily benefited the affluent, and extending them as Trump prefers would perpetuate this trend. Schumer has implemented a strategy to utilize this budget debate as a platform to address both the ramifications of tax policy and the efficiencies being executed by Trump’s administration across the federal landscape.
This approach is perceived as more advantageous than directly opposing stricter border measures and deportations, which tend to create divisions within the party.
Senator Patty Murray, the leading Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, indicated that a series of Republican-led tax cuts since 2001 has significantly contributed to the national debt. She remarked, “And you wouldn’t guess what our Republican colleagues are focusing on right now; it’s not decreasing the cost of essential goods but instead more tax cuts for the affluent.”
Murray argued that the proposed budget outlines a framework that could lead to severe cuts in programs that families depend on daily, merely to facilitate tax breaks for billionaires.
As Congress races forward, the budget resolution is paving the way for what’s termed the reconciliation process—once a rarity, now increasingly used to pass significant legislation along party lines when one party holds the White House and Congress, as Republicans currently do.
However, a divide exists among Republicans regarding their route. The House is determinedly pursuing its vision of a “big, beautiful bill,” believing they have a singular opportunity to perfect it, while the Senate opts for a more methodical approach, prioritizing border security before addressing tax cuts.
Budget regulations permit passage through a simple majority vote—a crucial detail in the Senate, where typically 60 votes are required to overcome a filibuster on substantial legislation. During Trump’s initial term, Republicans utilized the reconciliation process to enact tax cuts in 2017, while Democrats applied it to approve COVID-19 relief and the Inflation Reduction Act during Biden’s presidency.
Trump seems to be inciting competition between House and Senate Republicans to see which chamber can deliver the first substantial results.
