Senate Republicans took the last step Wednesday to tee up their $72 billion party-line immigration enforcement bill for floor action.
Following the 11-10 vote in the Senate Budget Committee, GOP leaders plan to begin debate on the measure either later Wednesday or Thursday. Since lawmakers are scheduled to leave town for a weeklong Memorial Day recess, Republicans need to clear the bill through both chambers by week’s end if they are going to meet the June 1 deadline President Donald Trump set for clearing the legislation.
The Budget Committee approved only one of two pieces of the package, since Senate GOP leaders are still revamping the portion of the bill that contains $1 billion for Secret Service security upgrades — including “enhancements” to the president’s White House ballroom project.
Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he didn’t know if that funding for the renovation of the East Wing of the White House would ultimately remain in the legislation. “We’ll see how that plays out,” he said, arguing that the shooting last month during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner “should wake us up a little bit” to the need for a more secure location to host formal events the president attends.
That funding faces procedural challenges under the strict rules of the reconciliation process GOP leaders are using to pass the package at a simple-majority threshold, rather than meet the 60-vote bar under the Senate filibuster. But several Republican senators have raised objections as well.
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