The Senate early Thursday morning adopted a Republican budget proposal that would pave the way for a $70 billion increase in immigration enforcement and the reopening of the Department of Homeland Security.
Republicans pushed the plan by a nearly 50-48 party vote. It was after an overnight race of speed votes, known as vote-a-rama, that the GOP struck down a series of Democratic proposals aimed at addressing the high costs of health care, housing, food and energy. The debate put the two parties’ conflicting messages on display six months before the midterm elections.
Republicans, who are using the budget process to lay the groundwork to eventually pass a filibuster-proof bill that provides funding for President Trump’s multi-year immigration crackdown, used the overnight session to highlight their tough stance on border security, seeking to portray Democrats as unwilling to protect the country.
Democrats have tried and failed to add a series of reforms aimed at addressing cost-of-living issues, seizing the opportunity to bash Republicans as out of touch and unwilling to act on the issues that concern Americans every day.
Here’s what you need to know about the budget plan and the night gangs involved before accepting it.
Republicans are looking for a way around the filibuster on DHS funding.
The budget proposal is a key part of Republicans’ plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the more than two-month-old shutdown. After Democrats refused to fund immigration enforcement without new restrictions on agents’ tactics and behavior, the GOP made a deal with them to pass a spending bill that would fund everything except ICE and the Border Patrol. Republicans say they will fund those organizations with a special budget bill that Democrats can’t block.
“We can fix this with Republican votes, and we will,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina and chairman of the Appropriations Committee. “All Democrats have opposed funding for the Border Patrol and ICE at a time of high risk.”
By implementing a new budget plan, Republicans have laid the groundwork to deny Democrats the opportunity to freeze immigration enforcement funding. But they also committed to vote-a-rama, where any senator can propose unlimited changes to the measure before it is adopted.
The proposed budget now goes to the House, which must pass it before lawmakers in both chambers can write legislation authorizing spending on immigrants. That bill would provide yet another opportunity for a vote-a-rama closer to the November election.
The Democrats used this time to strengthen the Republicans on the purchase.
Prominent Democrats criticized Republicans for charging more money to tighten immigration laws instead of passing legislation that would address Americans’ concerns about affordability.
“This is what Republicans are fighting for,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and leader of the Democratic Alliance. “Keeping two dishonest agencies that are feared in every corner of this country instead of reducing your health care costs, your housing costs, your food costs, your gas costs.”
Democrats offered dozens of amendments along those lines, all of which were defeated by Republicans — and that was the point. These proposals were intended to put the GOP in a difficult political position, reflecting their opposition to helping Americans pay for the high cost of living. Fewer than a handful of GOP senators crossed party lines to support them.
Republicans have blocked Democrats’ proposals to address the high cost of living.
The GOP thwarted Mr. Schumer wants the budget to reduce out-of-pocket health care costs for Americans. Two Republicans up for re-election this year, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, voted with the Democrats, but the proposal was still defeated.
Republicans also rejected an initiative by Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Democrat of New Mexico, to create a fund that would lower grocery costs and reverse cuts to food assistance programs made by Republicans last year. Mrs. Collins and Mr. Sullivan rejoined the Democrats.
Also defeated by the GOP: a proposal by Senator John Hickenlooper, Democrat of Colorado, to deal with the increase in purchase prices brought about by Mr. Trump and the Iran war; one is Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, to require a budget estimate to deal with rising electricity prices, and the other is Mr. Markey to create a fund to reduce housing costs.
Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat up for re-election in Georgia, also wanted to add language requiring a budget plan to deal with health insurance companies that deny or delay access to care, but that, too, was blocked by Republicans.
Republicans have sought to amplify their tough messages on immigration, voter ID and transgender care.
While Republicans have several proposals for changes in their budget plan, they also want to offer measures that will emphasize their aggressive stance on immigration enforcement and tempt Democrats to vote against them.
Mr. Graham offered an amendment appropriating funds for a non-disclosure fund related to the apprehension and deportation of adult immigrants convicted of raping, murdering, or sexually abusing a minor after entering the United States illegally. It passed unanimously.
Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, wants to block Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and other services, and criticized the organization for providing transgender care to children. Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, also tried to tackle the GOP voter identification bill, known as the SAVE America Act. Both proposals were blocked when Democrats, joined by several Republicans, voted to strike them as unrelated to the budget plan.
Republicans crossing party lines to oppose their party’s proposals for new voting requirements were Ms. Collins and Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski also opposed the effort to block payments to Planned Parenthood.
