The News
US Senate Republicans are eyeing a $60 billion to $85 billion price tag for their first party-line spending bill to kick off their legislative agenda next year.
The party is looking at plowing that money into the border wall, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and detention beds, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Semafor on Wednesday.
He said the party is looking to fund that with new energy permitting, among other proposals, while avoiding a round of deficit spending. “We’d like to pay for it,” he said.
The idea here: Put some legislative points up early on one of Donald Trump’s top priorities, then return later for tax reform. Each reconciliation bill is tough, requiring approval of budgets in both chambers and then final votes with slim margins in Congress. But doing so can evade a filibuster. Hoeven said they don’t expect Democratic votes.