Senate adopts budget that paves way for $3.5T spending plan

“The Democrats have worked for months to get to this point and there is still a lot of work to be done. But I can say with absolute certainty that it will be worth it, ”said Schumer. “The Democratic budget will bring a generational change in the way our economy works for the average American.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the lower chamber will return early from hiatus to vote on the budget resolution in the week of August 23, which will direct a number of committees to work out the parts of President Joe Biden’s plan starting within the flexible period of September 15th.

The last Senate vote on Wednesday on budget dissolution, which concluded just before 4 a.m., followed a classic vote-a-rama – a flood of amendments that allowed the GOP to force the majority party into a series of uncomfortable votes. To make their Democratic counterparts suffer for sidelining GOP investments in the $ 3.5 trillion plan, Republican senators called for dozens of amendments on topics such as critical racial theory, police pay, immigration enforcement, and usage of federal funds to cover abortions.

The Senators even had extra padding on their chairs to make the exam more comfortable as they weathered the final big legislative hurray before leaving for the August break that was supposed to be already underway.

More than three dozen Democrats have teamed up with Republicans in an 88:11 vote to pass a non-binding amendment to support moving immigrants from the border unless they test negative for Covid.

“We have a super-spreader event every day on our southern border,” said Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), the author of the amendment. “It is unacceptable for the government to transport illegal migrants who are at great risk of spreading Covid across our country.”

However, the Senate rejected an amendment by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) calling for “expulsions” of immigrants “who may contribute to the spread of Covid”. The chamber also rejected a proposal by Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, calling for immigrants with criminal records to be denied US residency status. Both amendments fell 49-50, with all Democrats opposed.

The marathon of changes was the Senate’s third this year after the Democrats used the reconciliation process to pass Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion pandemic relief package in March.

The latest agony follows the long-awaited release of the Democrats’ $ 3.5 trillion budget on Monday – a price tag that may ultimately need to be lowered to appease Senate moderates.

Before the $ 3.5 trillion plan can be sent to Biden in the coming months, the Senate must endure at least one more vote. That task could potentially be more painful than this week’s killing spree, as the trillion dollar priorities of the Democrats will be closer to the finish line and Senators will propose changes to a much broader piece of legislation than the current budget framework under review.

Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), speaking on the podium for the first time since his groundbreaking Covid infection, said the $ 3.5 trillion plan is “a dream come true for those looking to socialize the United States.” “And that” America like us “knows that it is at risk in this budgetary decision.”

After midnight, the Senate voted 50-49 in favor of accepting an amendment from Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) To take a stance against teaching “critical racial theory” in schools. Senator Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) voted together with the Republicans for this proposal.

The Democrats joined the Republicans in unanimously passing a non-binding provision offered by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) To oppose any Green New Deal efforts to “move” US jobs overseas would drive up electricity and gas prices ”or make the nation“ more and more dependent on foreign supply chains ”.

Senate chairman for the budget, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Said he had “no problem” supporting the GOP change because it “has nothing to do with the Green New Deal!”

Democrats circumvented more drama by unanimously supporting a Republican amendment by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) Who spoke out against defusing the police. In a moment of lightness before the vote, Senator Cory Booker (DN.J.) expressed enthusiastic approval and stressed that all Senators should put their support for police funding, their belief “in God, land and apple pie” on record. “

In the same vein, almost every Democrat supported a GOP amendment that would ban tax increases in violation of Biden’s promise not to levy taxes on anyone earning less than $ 400,000 a year.

The Senate narrowly passed a Republican news amendment aimed at maintaining a long-standing ban on federal funding for abortion that House Democrats removed from their annual spending bills this year. Manchin, a longtime proponent of the so-called Hyde Amendment, was the only Democrat to break out of the ranks and support the provision.

Legislature unanimously passed a provision by Senate minority whip John Thune (RS.D.) aimed at a democratic plan to pursue dynastic wealth. The amendment opposes an end to tax exemption, which allows wealthy people to pass wealth on to heirs tax-free by waiving capital gains taxes on things like company shares and land when people die. The Biden government is proposing to allow farms and small businesses to defer paying the tax until the business or farm is sold or is no longer family owned and operated.

“A change would affect generations in rural communities and force families to pay off part of the farm or business to pay the new tax,” Thune said.

Each Senator also supported an amendment from Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) Aimed at recognizing the police officers who fought and died protecting the Capitol during the January 6 riot. In addition to the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick following the attack, four police officers who responded to the Capitol that day have died by suicide since then.

“The uprising in the Capitol was more than an attack on democracy,” said Klobuchar on the floor. “It was a real life and death situation for the many brave police officers who show up here every day to work.”

Early Tuesday, the Senate voted 69-30 in favor of a bipartisan infrastructure bill worth $ 550 billion. The leaders of the Democrats have promised to move the infrastructure package and their reconciliation measure on the party line on two tracks at the same time, in order to combine the success of both bills.

The Democrats’ multi-trillion dollar spending package would bolster Medicare to cover vision, dental and hearing benefits for seniors. It aims to expand Medicaid to Americans in Republican-led states who have refused to expand the low-income health program. And it would also keep the new Obamacare subsidies and provide home care to more people.

To offset the cost of the plan, the Democrats propose increasing taxes on top earners, corporations, foreign profits, and capital gains.

The move also instructs the Senate Judiciary Committee to find a route to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. This directive could ultimately meet with opposition from the Senate MP – the House of Lords procedural officer – who will decide which provisions are enforceable with certain reconciliation restrictions.

The Democrats did not include an increase in the debt ceiling in their budget decision, but the Republicans dared to oppose a bipartisan solution to the country’s borrowing authority’s ceiling. In a letter released Tuesday, 46 Senate Republicans pledged to oppose raising the debt ceiling.

The Treasury Department is expected to run out of money sometime between September and November.

Toby Eckert contributed to this report.