800 326 9054Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he’s embracing a House-passed, $95 billion reconciliation budget measure as the “best path to success” for the SAVE America Act, fresh military and agriculture funds, and other items sought by President Donald Trump.
“We can’t do everything in budget reconciliation, but we can do parts of it,” Thune, R-S.D., said on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
Reconciliation is a maneuver allowing certain legislation to be fast-tracked through Congress, most significantly through a simple majority Senate vote versus a 60-vote threshold. Thune previously has said he might hold the budget measure passed by the House earlier this month as Congress works on plans to avert a partial federal shutdown by funding the government beyond Sept. 30.
Meanwhile, top agriculture items are stalled as senators determine how to proceed on reconciliation as well as Trump’s prior call for a nearly $88 billion supplemental funding bill that includes $11.1 billion in ag assistance as well as authorization for year-round, voluntary sales of higher corn ethanol fuel blends, known as E15.
The reconciliation plan includes as much as $12 billion in ag aid, though doesn’t address E15. The ethanol bill is a high priority for Thune. GOP senators are currently mulling a new version of E15 legislation. The House passed a bill in May, but it’s broadly seen as unlikely to pass the Senate, partly due to anticipated objections from lawmakers hailing from heavy petroleum-refining states.
Trump’s top goal is the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast ballots in federal elections. In a bid to ease congressional passage, the president is pressing Thune to cancel a Senate recess set to start next week, and/or end the chamber’s filibuster, a procedure that effectively sets the 60-vote requirement for most legislation.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also is pushing to cancel recess, and for the Senate to pursue a so-called “talking filibuster,” arguing the move would ultimately allow for a simple majority vote.
But Thune says a talking filibuster would not only allow unlimited floor debate from Democrats, but also unlimited amendments from the minority party that would further draw out the process.
“That isn’t the best path in my view, and frankly, I don’t think we probably have the votes in the Senate among Republicans even to get on a talking filibuster. But I do think we have a possibility through budget reconciliation to get some of this done,” Thune told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
Thune reiterated that there aren’t enough votes to cancel the 60-vote threshold. “This is a hard position for a lot of Senate Republicans,” he said.
The Republican leader also stressed the challenge in passing the SAVE America Act, citing five previous failed votes for all or parts of the bill.
“The problem we have is we have no Democrats … in spite of the fact that there are at least a dozen Democrats, and I have the quotes, who have come out publicly and said they’re for photo ID, but when they actually got a chance to put up or shut up on the floor of the Senate, they all voted no,” Thune said.
Prior to recess, set to start Aug. 7, the Senate is focused on a Russia sanctions measure, in tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. There’s also high priority on getting a new stopgap government funding measure in place before current funding runs out at the end of September. “I think we’re on the path to do that,” Thune said.
The Senate is currently working through confirmation of various Trump nominees. The chamber likely will vote soon on a digital assets bill, the CLARITY Act, and possibly on a bipartisan college sports bill, Thune said.
Thune didn’t elaborate on potential timing for taking up a reconciliation bill. The measure currently appears to be the best avenue for passing additional farmer aid, following about $12 billion from the Trump administration, to help producers struggling with surging production costs before new federal safety nets take effect in October.
Along with E15, another pressing ag matter is the Senate Agriculture Committee’s proposed farm bill. The panel aims to consider the legislation on Aug. 6, according to committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark.
With contribution from Olivia M. Bridges.
*Sourced from Agri-Pulse.