On Americans’ Priorities: Republicans Act, Democrats Distract

“Republicans in the Senate and the House are committed to working with President Trump to stop Democrats from imposing an automatic $4 trillion tax hike on the American people at the end of this year… In addition to preventing an automatic multi-trillion-dollar tax increase on the American people, this budget resolution will pave the way for a generational investment in border security and national defense and unleash American energy dominance.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

“With the passage of this budget resolution, we unlock the ability for the appropriate Senate committees to fully fund our border needs for four years, provide much-needed financial relief to our military at a time of great danger, make the 2017 tax cuts permanent to energize the economy, and do what has been promised for decades: go through every line item of the budget to cut wasteful and unnecessary spending – hopefully by the trillions.” – Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

REPUBLICANS ARE WORKING TO ENACT THE SHARED GOP AGENDA AND ACHIEVE MAJOR VICTORIES FOR FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES

“Senate Committee on the Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is unveiling on Wednesday the upper chamber's changes to a House-passed budget resolution in a breakthrough for getting President Donald Trump's key agenda items through Congress.” (Fox News: SCOOP: Lindsey Graham amendment signals GOP budget breakthrough, sets stage for Trump agenda – 4/2/25)

“With the Senate's latest action, Republicans' much-anticipated budget reconciliation resolution is one step closer to passage, in what would be a huge win for Trump and the GOP.” (Fox News: SCOOP: Lindsey Graham amendment signals GOP budget breakthrough, sets stage for Trump agenda – 4/2/25)

In addition to unlocking $175 billion in border funding, $150 billion in defense funding, and key energy provisions, the updated resolution:
- “Adds reconciliation instructions for Senate Committees and preserves the House Committees’ instructions.”
- “Makes important adjustments to allow President Trump’s tax cuts to be made permanent.”
- “Creates savings floor to maximize Republicans’ ability to cut wasteful spending while complying with Senate rules to allow the legislation to pass with a simple majority vote.”
- “Prevents Democrats from using the debt limit to extract a ransom before the 2026 midterm elections.” (U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget: Chairman Graham Unveils FY 2025 Budget Resolution To Secure The Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production And Begin The Process Of Restoring Fiscal Sanity – 2/7/25; U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget: Chairman Graham: I Am Confident We Will Rise To The Occasion – 4/2/25)

CHUCK SCHUMER, WHO HAS A HISTORY OF UNDERMINING AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS, IS NOW LOBBING DESPERATE AND DEBUNKED CHARGES AGAINST REPUBLICANS

Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer is claiming that, by adhering to the plain text of the Budget Act of 1974, “Republicans are going nuclear. They are tramping all over the rules that have governed the Senate for decades…” (Public Law 93-344: Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 – accessed 4/3/25; Sen. Schumer: Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Senate Republicans’ Willingness To Go Nuclear And Detonate Senate Rules To Give Massive Tax Cuts To Billionaires – 4/2/25)

The fact of the matter is “[t]he Senate parliamentarian has reviewed the Budget Committee’s substitute amendment and deemed it appropriate for consideration under the Budget Act.” (Senate Majority Leader Thune: Thune Statement on the Budget Resolution – 4/2/25)

Aside from launching false accusations, Schumer himself has attempted to destroy the institution of the Senate by advocating for the elimination of the filibuster, a tool Democrats have embraced:
- “As times change and circumstances evolve, the Senate must follow the suit of changed circumstances when necessary. So we are going to work towards [eliminating the filibuster] in the coming weeks.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), 1/4/22
- Under Schumer’s leadership and encouragement, 48 Senate Democrats voted to eliminate the legislative filibuster when they were in the majority. (H.R. 5746, Roll Call Vote #10 – 1/19/22)

- As recently as last year, Schumer said he was hopeful that Democrats would eliminate the filibuster if they were to win the 2024 election. (Politico Playbook: The late, late show – 8/20/24)

- “We came close last time, as you remember, we couldn’t change the rules, but I think there would be a consensus in my caucus to try and do that.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
Last year, Schumer opened the door to supporting his party’s court-packing scheme and previously, infamously threatened Supreme Court justices who didn’t rule the way he wanted.
- “Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has big plans for the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary if Democrats win the elections… Democrats have introduced a series of proposals for the Supreme Court and the judiciary, some with the Biden administration’s support.” (NBC News: Schumer vows Supreme Court reform will be 'a very big priority' if Democrats win election – 8/1/24)

- “Another would slap 18-year term limits on justices.” (NBC News: Schumer vows Supreme Court reform will be 'a very big priority' if Democrats win election – 8/1/24)

- “If Democrats win control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, Schumer said, a broad range of ideas are in play. ‘The Supreme Court has become a morass, both ethically and substantively,’ he said. ‘We’re going to look at everything. There are lots of proposals.’” (NBC News: Schumer vows Supreme Court reform will be 'a very big priority' if Democrats win election – 8/1/24)

- “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), 3/4/20

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: WHEN SENATE REPUBLICANS TOOK FIRST STEPS IN FEBRUARY, SENATE DEMOCRATS PEDDLED DISTRACTIONS

“Thank you to Majority Leader John Thune, and the Republican Senate, for working so hard on funding the Trump Border Agenda… Put simply, we are delivering for the American People, far faster and, more successfully, than anyone thought possible. Your work on funding this effort is greatly appreciated!” –President Donald Trump

When the Senate considered a Republican budget resolution in February, “Senate Republicans blocked nearly 30 amendments from Democrats intended to derail the upper chamber’s budget blueprint to fund President Donald Trump’s border security agenda…”
- “Democrats had little to say about the actual purpose of the budget resolution: funding the president’s border security agenda,” proposing zero amendments to invest in border security. (The Daily Caller: Senate GOP Blocks Dem Effort To Make Immigration Enforcement Package About Anything Other Than Border Security – 2/21/25)

Democrats saw the budget resolution fight as a means for political resuscitation: “After weeks of getting pummeled, Schumer is clearly relishing the prospect of changing the subject…” (Axios: Scoop: Schumer looks to jam Republicans on Musk and billionaires – 2/18/25)

Senate Republicans are focused on the task at hand, refusing to get bogged down in Democrats’ distractions:
- “And now what the Democrats want to do, even worse, is have taxes go up by $4 trillion. It would be the largest tax increase in the history of America, and Republicans are here standing resolved to not allow that to happen.” – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
- “This is going to fulfill… the promise of what President Trump ran on and what he was elected on – energy independence, border security, national security, and then prosperity for every American family…” – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
- “People want to be able to see national security, border security. They want stable prices and they want some way to be able to tell their families, ‘Here's where the government's out of the way and we can succeed in our small businesses, and grow our manufacturing, and to be able to be successful.’ That’s the focus of this week.” – Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)
- “This budget resolution unlocks the process to permanently extend proven, pro-growth tax policy, ensure Americans can keep more of their hard-earned money, provide additional tax relief to those who need it most, and take long-overdue steps toward getting our fiscal house in order.” – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)