The Senate GOP just might get something significant done during Trump’s presidency.
According to the Washington Times, lawmakers passed a budget bill that could lead the way to reforming the tax system — even if every Democrat votes against reform.
Already months overdue — the fiscal year began Oct. 1 — the budget calls for about $1 trillion in discretionary spending this year, and envisions deficits of $641 billion.
But even Republicans said those numbers were probably irrelevant, and it will take a bipartisan deal later this year to set actual spending levels for 2018.
Instead, the goal of the budget was to set up what’s known as the “reconciliation” process, which allows big financial measures to pass the Senate by majority vote, without having to overcome a filibuster. (emphasis added)
As the Washington Times noted, Democratic lawmakers pushed through Obamacare using the reconciliation process.
Naturally, Democrats don’t like the bill.
Democrats said the votes proved Republicans were more interested in a political win on taxes than on getting a good bill.
“The American people are getting a clearer picture of what the Republican budget and tax plan are about,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat.
Republicans said Democrats’ complaints rang hollow.
The Senate GOP so far has refused to repeal Obamacare, with a few hold-out GOP senators opposing the bills for various reasons. The Senate couldn’t even pass a straight repeal bill, something conservative voters were counting on.
President Donald Trump recently tweeted that the recently passed measure “allows for the passage of large scale Tax Cuts (and Reform), which will be the biggest in the history of our country!”