The U.S. Senate approved a budget "blueprint" early Friday by a nearly party-line vote as Republican senators seek to bolster defense and border patrol spending.
The resolution was approved by a 52-48 margin with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, joining all 47 Democrats in opposing the resolution. Friday's vote comes nearly a week after a House committee approved its blueprint that included nearly $2 trillion in cuts over the next decade, including sizable deductions to education, energy and agriculture spending.
The process still has a long way to go before being finalized, especially given the different philosophies between Republican senators and representatives.
The most notable difference is that the Senate proposal would break the budget process into two bills. The first would include funding some of President Donald Trump's initiatives, such as bolstering border security. The second bill would focus on extending tax cuts that are set to expire later this year.
The House's version would roll both proposals into one bill.
RELATED STORY | Could potential DOGE 'dividend' checks fuel inflation?
“I hope the House can pass one big bill that meets President Trump’s priorities," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Budget Committee. "But this approach provides money that we needed yesterday to continue the momentum on securing our border, enforcing our immigration laws, and rebuilding our military. Time is of the essence.”
“This budget resolution allows the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees to spend up to $175 billion in total to implement President Trump’s border security agenda. It instructs the Armed Services Committee to spend up to $150 billion to make our military more lethal. It also allocates up to $20 billion to be spent to modernize the Coast Guard," Graham added.
The final vote came after Democrats introduced dozens of amendments as part of a "vote-a-rama," which forced the Senate's Thursday session to extend several hours into Friday.
“Families lose and billionaires win. That’s the heart of the Republicans' budget resolution," said Sen. Jeff Merkley, the leading Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee. “This Republican budget proposes $1 trillion cuts to programs for working families by the end of this fiscal year. The only way to cut $1 trillion by September 30 is to gut entire agencies and all of their services, which families rely on. Trump and Senate Republicans are showing who they truly care about as they slash programs for families to line the pockets of their billionaire friends. Trump’s tax plan is the Great Betrayal of working families."
