The GOP-led Senate passed a budget blueprint aligned with President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, including a permanent extension of his 2017 tax cuts and $175 billion for border security.
The resolution passed 51-48 after a marathon “vote-a-rama” session, with Senators Rand Paul and Susan Collins opposing the measure.
Senate Republicans emphasized that the upcoming tax and spending bill wouldn’t cut Medicaid or Medicare benefits. The budget resolution aims to bypass the filibuster and pass with a simple majority vote through budget reconciliation.
Some Republicans, including Paul, opposed the plan due to concerns about a $5 trillion increase in the debt limit. The Senate’s bill could add up to $5.8 trillion to the deficit, raising fiscal concerns among deficit-conscious House Republicans.
