Senate Republicans are set to confront a politically charged decision on Thursday over the future of President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund as they move through a lengthy vote-a-rama before taking up a $70 billion measure to bolster immigration enforcement.
Lawmakers are scheduled to begin voting on amendments to the bill shortly before midday. Democrats have signaled they will make the first amendment an effort to eliminate the fund, which they label a "slush fund" for the president’s allies. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s office said in a statement:
"The first Democratic amendment of vote-a-rama will force every senator to answer a basic question: should taxpayer dollars fund Trump’s slush fund, or should it be eliminated once and for all?"
The contested fund has already been placed on hold by the White House and the Justice Department amid strong objections from within the Senate Republican conference. Critics argue the allocation could permit taxpayer dollars to be used to compensate political allies, a point that has intensified scrutiny and opposition.
Democrats hope the amendment campaign will put Republicans on the defensive heading into the November midterm elections, in which Democrats are favored to take control of the House and could also win the Senate. The party’s strategy seeks to force public votes that could be used to highlight disagreements between Republican senators and the president.
It is not yet clear whether Republican senators will endorse the Democratic amendment. Passage of that measure would require a simple majority of 51 votes but would also have the effect of disrupting the broader immigration funding bill that would provide three years of resources for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.
Some Republicans are moving to act independently of Democrats on the matter. Senators Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy have expressed interest in offering amendments to terminate the fund. "I don’t want to join with some Democratic initiative, I want this to be led by Republicans for Republicans," Tillis told reporters, adding that a sufficient number of his GOP colleagues have voiced concerns.
Cassidy, who lost his reelection bid to a Trump-backed challenger last month, is among those planning to bring forward proposals. He has also proposed an amendment to nullify an agreement that prevents the Internal Revenue Service from auditing the president’s tax returns.
A string of actions by the president has prompted open criticism from some members of his party. Those actions, cited by opponents, include a request for $1 billion in taxpayer funding for renovations and security upgrades at the presidential residence and the president’s decision to name political ally Bill Pulte as U.S. intelligence chief. Such moves have contributed to tensions within the GOP conference.
Beyond the fight over the anti-weaponization fund, Democrats are preparing a range of additional amendments aimed at forcing votes on other contentious issues. Those planned measures would require senators to take positions on IRS tax protections, U.S. policy toward Iran, the president’s tariff actions, and allegations surrounding conduct by immigration enforcement officials, including the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens earlier this year.
The coming vote-a-rama will therefore serve as both a test of Republican cohesion and a high-profile moment for Democrats to highlight perceived abuses of executive power. The immediate legislative consequence of these amendments could be to advance or to derail the three-year immigration enforcement funding package, depending on how senators align.
Key Points
- Senate Republicans will vote on amendments, including a Democratic bid to eliminate a sidelined $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, before deciding on a $70 billion immigration enforcement bill.
- Some Republicans, including Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy, plan GOP-led amendments to end the fund; Cassidy has also proposed undoing an agreement that shields the presidents tax returns from IRS audits.
- The dispute touches agencies and policy areas such as ICE, Border Patrol and the IRS, and could influence political dynamics ahead of the November midterm elections.
Risks and Uncertainties
- It is uncertain whether Republicans will support the Democratic amendment to eliminate the fund; a vote for that amendment could derail the three-year funding package for ICE and Border Patrol.
- Internal GOP divisions over recent presidential actions have created uncertainty about the partys ability to present a unified position on the funding bill.
- The White House and Justice Department have already placed the fund on hold amid opposition, leaving the final outcome unresolved.