House Republicans narrowly adopted their budget blueprint Wednesday for a filibuster-proof bill containing up to $95 billion in defense funding, farm aid and election integrity measures.
The budget resolution, on shaky ground throughout the week, squeezed through by a 216-214 vote after some Republicans who had threatened to oppose it flipped to yes.
“I just did a tele-town hall with my constituents, and overwhelmingly people are supporting it,” Rep. Eric Burlison, Missouri Republican, told The Washington Times heading into the vote.
Mr. Burlison had planned to vote against the budget because it did not call for offsetting the $95 billion in new spending, but said his constituents changed his mind.
“I don’t like spending money, but my district understands that if it’s what’s necessary to pass SAVE America, they’re willing to do it,” he said.
President Trump had called for Republican unity and warned that he was “watching the vote very closely.”
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Ultimately, only two Republicans and one independent voted in opposition. Rep. Warren Davidson, Ohio Republican, objected to the lack of offsets, and Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, slammed the defense funding as a “slush fund” for the Iran war. Rep. Kevin Kiley, California independent, also voted no.
The president is pushing for another filibuster-proof budget reconciliation effort in his second term to get as much of the SAVE America Act enacted as possible.
Delivering on the election requirements — voters showing proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID to cast a ballot — will be key to maintaining House Republican support when the reconciliation legislation comes together.
“The mandatory SAVE America Act is the key to the whole thing,” said Rep. Keith Self, Texas Republican.
The budget resolution instructs the House Administration Committee to spend up to $10 billion on implementing the election requirements.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has suggested a grant program to encourage the adoption of proof of citizenship and voter ID, but hard-liners are pushing for stronger language that would force Democratic-leaning states to comply.
“It better accomplish something,” Rep. Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma Republican, told The Times. “It can’t be lipstick on the hog, and we’re pretending it’s something that it’s not.”
Although the SAVE America Act is the president’s primary focus, the budget also calls for up to $73 billion to fulfill his supplemental defense funding request related to the Iran war.
Mr. Kiley said he voted against the budget because of insufficient information on how the funds would be spent or on a strategy to end the war.
“I have not been happy about the level of involvement Congress has had in everything related to Iran,” he told The Times. “This is a real missed opportunity for Congress to really assert its Article I authority in a way that I think could increase our chances of a more durable peace.”
The House Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence are tasked with fleshing out the defense funding details in the actual bill.
The fourth committee instructed is the House Agriculture Committee, which is tasked with providing up to $12 billion in economic assistance to farmers.
The Senate is not yet on board with the $95 billion budget blueprint.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, said he plans to hold the budget while his chamber debates a stopgap government funding bill.
If Democrats do not support the measure to extend current funding through the midterm elections in November, Mr. Thune said, he would use the budget reconciliation process to provide the necessary appropriations without their help.
“I hope that’s not necessary,” he said. “We’ve had conversations, productive conversations, on both sides of the aisle on a funding resolution that would carry us past the November election.”
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, supports using reconciliation as a backup for government funding.
Either way, Mr. Johnson said, the Senate cannot take up the House budget as is because it does not provide instructions to Senate committees, which are needed for compliance with the reconciliation rules.
Mr. Johnson said the Senate may add instructions to committees to offset the new spending, as well as more defense funding, but nothing has been decided.
Whether the Senate can negotiate those changes before its scheduled summer recess begins Aug. 10 remains to be seen. Mr. Johnson said he is telling Budget Committee staff to “be prepared to do a budget resolution and do a vote-a-rama before we leave.”
Other senators, while supportive of the reconciliation effort, are skeptical that it will come together.
“I don’t think Sen. Thune’s going to take it up,” Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, said, adding that it would be “a huge mistake.”
“Money for the military, and money for the farmers, and a fair chance of passing the SAVE Act — you’re not going to get it in regular order,” he said, referring to Democratic opposition. “And if you think otherwise, you’re entitled to your opinion, but I’ve got rocks in my driveway that are smarter.”
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