The US Senate voted in the wee hours of Saturday morning to pass a wide-ranging budget resolution paving the way for making Trump’s first-term tax cuts permanent, increasing border security, and restoring defense spending. It was a big step, and the resolution heads to the US House in what is still a long process.
The “blueprint,” as it is being called, lays the foundation for a yet-to-be-written bill to make permanent the tax relief implemented under President Donald Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It also authorizes an additional $1.5 trillion in new tax reductions to stimulate economic growth.
In a surprise development, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted in favor of the resolution on final passage, in an increasingly rare moment of aligning with her Republican colleagues. That left only two GOP senators — Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine — breaking ranks to vote against the measure, although they did for differing reasons.
The final vote came after a long night of debate, as Democrats launched a delaying tactic of offering amendment after amendment to stall passage of the resolution and inflict as much pain as possible on the Republican majority. Despite their efforts, Republicans remained united past midnight in pushing forward a plan that would deliver on key Trump promises.
Among the amendments rejected during the session was a Democrat measure to bar Pentagon officials from using commercial messaging apps like Signal to discuss classified operations. That amendment was directed at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who recently came under fire by Democrats and their media allies for using the encrypted Signal app to discuss sensitive military planning.
Republicans also rejected Democrat proposals that would have blocked tax breaks for top earners and large corporations.
Some nonbinding Democrat amendments were voted down, such as one that condemned the Trump Administration’s idea of closing the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which had become politicized under the Biden Administration, and his temporary freeze on military aid to Ukraine.
The resolution as passed raises the federal debt ceiling by $5 trillion, a move aimed at avoiding a catastrophic default this summer. The current debt ceiling is $36.1 trillion; without an increase, the government can no longer borrow, which would threaten payments on interest payments to bondholders.
The Republican-led plan also has $521 billion in new spending, including $175 billion earmarked for border enforcement and $150 billion for the military.
The vote is another step in the budget reconciliation process, having cleared the hurdle of the Democrats’ objections. The passage means the Senate can now pass budget-related bills with a simple majority, without having to endure filibusters by the Democrats and without needing 60 votes, but just a simple majority, which will sideline some of the Republicans who normally vote with Democrats, such as Murkowski and Collins.
But the challenge is that the House and Senate must approve identical budget resolutions directing congressional committees to draft the actual legislation, which will take several months.
It’s a momentary victory for Republicans and Trump in a complicated budget reconciliation process that few Americans understand.
And I hope every single person on here who claims to be worried about the national debt is also against making these tax cuts permanent.
That makes no sense.
What’s so difficult for you to understand?
And I hope everyone who is against these tariffs is also applying the same logic to increases in the minimum wage.
Oh… wait. Don’t bother. We all know you cannot see how both actions will have identical impacts to the economy.
My theory is that Senator Murkowski only voted yes to persevere her seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Handing out political pork to the favored and fashionable is very addicting. Perhaps, some day, Alaskans will ask how, if at all, the average Alaskan benefits from the goodies.
“Preserve” not “persevere”.
Suzanne is one of those few Americans who does understand the federal budget process. Thanks for a clear and cogent explanation.
I am honestly surprised by Lisa’s vote in support of this legislation. I would have expected her to veto it, solely because it contains items that fund and promote President Trump’s agendas. Princess occasionally does act on behalf of America, apparently.
Tax cuts for billionaires, tariff driven inflation and investment plunge for everyone else. Trump voters are gullible, and it shows.
They think Trump has a magic wand that will make factories sprout up from the ground like chickweed. It’s hilarious.
My eyes roll like a video poker machine reel everytime I am obligided to read or listen to opinions from people who don’t understand finance, investment, profits, losses, re-investment, expansion, job creation, worker retention, promotion, financial security, etc, etc, etc. 🙄
Harsh truth here…: You CANNOT make money if you do not spend money. You CANNOT do the things listed above as a company, or as a country if you do not fully make things happen for you/others. This “sky is the limit” to our success form of investment isn’t easy.
Many ONLY want to do something if it is easy. I call those people “filler” people. You see them at Bernie Rallies or online in their bedroom in their parents basement rabidly expressing their grevious inability to control their emotions or ignorance when faced with anything Trump or Musk or Christian or American for the most part. (Great job Dept. Of Indoctronation 🙄)
No. The kind of investments that successful people make requires planning, manpower, skill, dedication, knowledge, patience, nerve and like everything else in life, risk.
I believe in America and I fully support the direction we as a nation are turning with these policy improvements. The people who do not waste their time, effort and energy during this restructure and reinvestment period will be the ones who will reep the huge returns to come.
This is America 🇺🇸 The greatest land of opportunity this entire world has to offer
but…
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY WILLING TO WORK SO TO ENSURE THEIR LABOR AND SACRIFICE RIGHTIOUSLY REWARDS THEM FOR WHAT THEY/WE HAVE CREATED, ENRICHED AND EARNED.
Go DOGE GO!! Ferret out ALL the INSANE waste, and LAZYA** entitlement (including, but not limited to unnecessary social program and politician recipient’s) Eliminate all nonrecipicial trade agreements. End out of country manipulations of American businesses and elections, and of course end the OBSCENE and UNACCOUNTABLE (MONEY LAUNDERING) AKA “Global Funding” of IDIOCY that ultimately enriches only the uberist of elites, who genuinely couldn’t care in the least about you, about me, or about any/everyone else.
These are the REAL financial problems caused by ignorant, short sighted, stupid or too stupid to see they are all of these things, past and present legislators, congressmen, judicial and/or executive branch members that were/are reigning in America’s great halls of power.
Alright everyone, getting off my soapbox here now. Thank you all, I hope everyone has a blessed and beautiful day, today and everyday 🙂