Washington – The senators immersed themselves in a contentious night, or throughout the night, debate on Friday for a Republican Budget Plan That is fundamental to President Donald Trump’s agenda For billions of dollars in tax exemptions and increases for border and defense security spending, all while reducing other governmental expenses.
It could not have arrived at a more difficult political moment. He The US economy is stirring About Trump’s vast tariff scheme The actions sent in a choppedAnd experts warn about height costs for consumers at home and the threats of a possible recession. Even some Republicans have expressed concern.
But Republican leaders With a Trump wink They are determined to march ahead, exceeding an hardened opposition line of the Democrats, who are unified as they denounce the tax exemptions for the rich at the expense of federal programs in which Americans trust. The approval, expected for Saturday morning, would give Republicans the opportunity of the coming months of muscle a bill of tax cuts through both Chance cameras, as they did in Trump’s first mandate.
“Let the vote begin,” said the leader of the majority of the Senate John Thune, RS.D.
The night began what is called Vote-A-Rama, since the Democrats are intended to make the effort as painful as possible, with votes of the whole night in dozens of amendments to the package that the Republican senators will have to defend before the middle of the period of the next year. Among them are proposals to prohibit tax exemptions for super rich and stop from Trump Tariff policies and efforts to shrink The federal government.
The Democrats accused the Republicans of laying the foundations for increasing deficits and reducing the key programs of security networks such as Medicaid and nutritional assistance to help pay the tax cuts that, they say, they disproportionately benefit the rich.
The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer from New York, said: “Trump’s policies are a disaster,” as well as the efficiency department of Elon Musk’s government. “Republicans could turn it off tonight, if they wanted.”
None of the many proposals of the Democrats are expected to pass as the Republicans use their majority to go back. Republicans are framing their work as a tax increase for most American families, arguing that, unless Congress here, individual and equity tax cuts that Republicans approved In 2017 it will expire at the end of this year.
Senator John Barraso, the Senator of the Republican Party No. 2, said that the voters gave Republicans a mission and a mandate in November, and the Senate Budget Plan offers.
“It fulfills our promises to ensure the border, rebuild our economy and restore peace through force,” said Barraso.
Throughout the day, the debate was generally unilateral, since the Democrats took the most of the 25 hours of their available debate time, while the Republicans gave up a large part of them to reach the voting frenzy throughout the night.
Senator Adam Schiff, D-Calif, warned that Trump and Musk “don’t care about you. They are worried about their billionaire friends.”
A Republican, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, expressed his own doubts about tax exemptions that add to federal deficits and said he has guarantees that Trump’s officials would seek cuts elsewhere.
“This vote is not taking place in a vacuum,” he said, a nod to agitation on Trump’s rates.
And Republican Senator Rand Paul de Kentucky, the only vote of opposition to the plan so far, questioned the mathematics used by his colleagues who, according to him, would accumulate in the loading of the debt. “Something is suspicious,” he said.
If the Senate can approve the measure, as expected, then go to the Chamber, where President Mike Johnson has already approved the version of his camera and will need to maintain his thin majority to merge the two plans.
The budget plan of the House of Representatives provided $ 4.5 billion in tax exemptions for 10 years, although the amount of fiscal exemptions would be reduced if the total of expense cuts does not reach $ 2 billion in savings.
The Senate Budget Plan allows to extend the tax cuts under a score method that treats them such as not adding future deficits, despite the fact that a new estimate of the joint committee of tax projects, will add $ 5.5 billion in the next decade when they include interest and $ 4.6 billion without including interest.
In addition to that, the budget plan allows $ 1.5 billion to include some of the promises of the Trump campaign, as without taxes on tips, social security benefits and overtime. Republicans also seek to increase the deduction of $ 10,000 for state and local taxes, something that legislators of states such as New York, California and New Jersey, is necessary to obtain their support.
The committees also have authority to obtain up to $ 521 billion to boost border security, defense and the coastal guard, although the president of the Budget Committee, Lindsey Graham, RS.C., said that the total final expenses will be closer to $ 345 billion.
The budget plan also allows the Senate to increase the debt roof of up to $ 5 billion. The final approval of such an increase would allow the federal government to continue financing their debts and promote any additional vote on the matter until after the middle of the period next year. Trump distrusts Democrats the opportunity to extract concessions in a debt roof vote.
The plan also instructs four Senate committees that find at least $ 1 billion each in budget reductions. That is just a small fraction of the potential tax relief. But leadership emphasizes that the instructions establish a low floor for expense cuts to provide maximum flexibility and that the committees will be in search of much more.
The leaders of the Republican party already face the concerns of the fiscal hawks in the deep red states and the districts of the congress that wish billions in expenses of expenses to help pay the tax exemptions. At the same time, dozens of legislators in Swing districts and states are concerned about what these cuts will mean for their voters and their re -election possibilities.
The leadership of the Republican Party has encouraged members to obtain a budget plan on the finish line, saying that they have time to solve the difficult questions of which tax ruptures and expenses of expenses to include.
Throughout the debate, the Democrats focused on framing tax cuts such as helping the richest at the expense of average Americans. Senator Jeff Merkley, the main Democrat in the Senate Budget Committee, spoke with a signal behind him that said “Republican Plan: families lose, win billonarians.”
“That is a terrible plan,” said Merkley.
Extending the 2017 breaks would reduce taxes for approximately three quarters of households, but would raise them for approximately 10%. In 2027, approximately 45% of the benefit of all tax cuts would be allocated to those who earn approximately $ 450,000 or more, according to the Urban-Brookings Fiscal Policy Center, which analyzes fiscal problems.
