Republicans aren’t settled on whether to pursue another party-line reconciliation bill, but Senate Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is done waiting.
“It would be political malpractice not to do another reconciliation,” he told Semafor.
Graham said he’s planning to kick off the process with a budget resolution early next year and envisions the eventual legislative product including military funding, health care legislation, and a grant program for states that assist ICE in immigration enforcement.
President Donald Trump and leaders in his party aren’t yet committed to passing such a bill, though several Republicans — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune — say it’s a possibility in the absence of a bipartisan deal on health care.
Trump would rather that Republicans kill the legislative filibuster, but they won’t, which may leave another reconciliation bill as the last, best chance to pass major legislation this Congress.