Republicans return on Monday to a two-week sprint looking to finalize their $70 billion immigration enforcement bill — though debates over President Donald Trump’s ballroom and the Iran war remain front and center.
Senate Republicans must quickly decide whether to advance $1 billion in security funding for the White House’s East Wing renovation as parliamentary arguments begin this week on whether the package can survive budget reconciliation’s strict rules, according to people familiar with the conversations. And though negotiations continue on crypto and housing bills, Republicans see the reconciliation bill as the only certain vehicle for their agenda.
“That’ll probably be the last thing we’ll get passed for the midterms. I know it’s all talk about reconciliation 3.0 and all that. This is May, man,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.
Another wild card: Some Republicans want to finalize a congressional authorization if the fragile Iran ceasefire crumbles.