In a pivotal step toward reviving and expanding former President Donald Trump’s policy legacy, Senate Republicans passed a sweeping budget resolution early Saturday after an intense overnight “vote-a-rama”—an hours-long flurry of amendment votes.
The 70-page budget framework, introduced Wednesday, sets the stage for making Trump’s first-term tax cuts permanent, while greenlighting an additional $1.5 trillion in tax reductions and authorizing an increase to the debt ceiling by up to $5 trillion. The resolution also outlines spending priorities aligned with Trump’s agenda, including border security, defense, and energy.
The Senate cleared the resolution with a narrow 51-48 vote, as Republican Senators Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Susan Collins (Maine) broke ranks to oppose the measure. Despite the opposition, the procedural momentum now shifts to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson (Louisiana) may schedule a vote as early as next week.
During the marathon voting session, Democrats introduced a slew of politically charged amendments to force Republicans to take stances on hot-button issues such as Social Security, Medicaid, and tariffs. However, the resolution survived without major changes.
“This budget keeps our promises to secure the border, rebuild the economy, and strengthen national defense,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the Senate’s second-ranking Republican, reflecting on the November electoral mandate that gave Republicans the majority.
Although the Senate and House had developed their own budget blueprints earlier in the year, this compromise resolution marks a unification of GOP strategy. Yet, divisions remain over the specifics of spending cuts. The Senate’s plan sets minimal mandatory reductions for various committees—only in the billions—whereas the House calls for $1.5 trillion in cuts over the next decade. Leaders say the lower Senate figures are a floor, not a ceiling, offering leeway for further trimming.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) defended the resolution as a foundation for “transformational investment” in border infrastructure and national defense, and he dismissed Democratic objections as exaggerated.
Democrats, however, raised alarm over the use of a controversial accounting method known as the “current policy baseline.” This technique treats the Trump tax cuts as if they are permanent, masking their actual cost to the federal budget. Critics argue that this move disguises the true fiscal impact—an estimated $4.5 trillion over 10 years.
“Republicans want to pretend their trillion-dollar tax cuts are free—like magic,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), criticizing the budget’s math. “Even middle schoolers would know that doesn’t add up.”
Under the traditional “current law baseline” approach required by the 1974 Budget Control Act, expiring tax provisions must be counted as new costs if extended—something the resolution effectively sidesteps.
With the Senate vote complete, attention now turns to the House, where GOP leaders aim to finalize the resolution by Memorial Day. If both chambers approve identical versions, Republicans can move forward with reconciliation—a special legislative process that allows bills to pass with a simple majority, bypassing potential Democratic filibusters in the Senate.
The coming weeks will be critical as Republicans seek to solidify a legislative framework that not only revives Trump-era policies but also tests the unity of their newly regained congressional majority.
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