House GOP’s $95B budget reconciliation proposal hits Senate buzzsaw

The House Republican leadership’s proposal for a $95 billion budget reconciliation package —which would include $73 billion to help pay for the Iran war and $10 billion for election reforms — is running into staunch opposition from Senate Republicans.

Senate Republicans say the proposal has little chance of passing the upper chamber, even though President Trump has escalated military activities against Iran, and warned that Republicans will face a wipeout on Election Day if they don’t require states to tighten voting rules across the country.

The House budget framework is getting pummeled with criticism from several angles.

Senate conservatives are calling for the cost of the package to be offset with spending cuts so it doesn’t add to the deficit while Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee complain that passing another major spending bill this year outside the regular appropriations process is undercutting their authority.

“I’m dubious about any reconciliation. I think the House is wishful thinking. Just talk to the appropriators over here. They don’t like reconciliation because it bypasses appropriations. I’d be shocked if it’s possible,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an advisor to the Senate GOP leadership team.

Then there’s Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), who’s threatening to vote against any package that would force states to scramble to implement new voting rules before the midterm election, which is less than four months away.

Tillis on Thursday vowed to use every tool at his disposal to stall any budget reconciliation package coming from the House that attempts to change voter registration, photo ID and mail-in ballot requirements.

“If I see a reconciliation bill come from the House with another failed attempt to confuse this election, I will use every device I have available to slow down the wheels of government until people cop a clue and do the math,” Tillis declared at top volume on the Senate floor.

Tillis argued that a tangle of agencies would have to rush to implement new rules before the Nov. 3 general election and called talk of adding elements of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE........

© The Hill