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As yet another government shutdown looms under the moniker of the “Schumer Shutdown,” tensions rise across the nation. With midterm elections just around the corner, partisanship has reached a fever pitch, particularly among Democrats who appear resolute in thwarting any Republican initiatives. In response, Republican members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate are gearing up for what they are calling “One Big Beautiful Bill 2 – This Time, It’s Personal.”
For Republicans in Washington, the focus is on slashing spending, a strategy they believe is always beneficial. However, the message to the GOP is clear: this time, they need to approach the task with the force of a chainsaw or an axe, rather than the precision of a scalpel.
But there’s a snag, as is often the case in politics. Passing this bill won’t automatically propel the SAVE America Act or its components to completion.
Nonetheless, tackling the funding issues first could effectively clear the path, allowing both the House and Senate to concentrate their efforts on the SAVE America Act once the immediate financial hurdles have been addressed.
Now, after two Democrat-instigated government shutdowns – the second of which is ongoing – Republicans are considering including a massive funding boost to immigration enforcement agencies, money for the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran and possibly some election changes.
Republicans will likely have to at least partially offset any new spending, however, to appease fiscal hawks, many of whom are still bitter over the $3.3 trillion price tag of the OBBB.
Cutting spending is always good, and to the GOP in Washington, I would only say this: This time, use a chainsaw or an axe, not a scalpel.
There’s a catch (there’s always a catch): This won’t heave the SAVE America Act or its provisions across the finish line.
Additionally, incorporating policies from the SAVE America Act – a voter-ID bill stuck in the Senate – into a reconciliation bill would be difficult, if not impossible.
The Senate’s Byrd Rule prohibits reconciliation bills from including non-budgetary matters, or “extraneous” policies that would not meaningfully add to or reduce the deficit. Otherwise, the privilege of passing the bill in the Senate with only a majority vote would no longer apply.
Pushing the funding issues out of the way may serve to clear the decks, as it were, to allow the House and Senate to work on the SAVE America Act.