Senate Republicans beat back an early attempt by Democrats to effectively kill their immigration enforcement bill.
Senators voted 50-49 to reject an attempt by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to send the measure back to the Judiciary Committee to insert language that would kill President Donald Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” The move was aimed at codifying the promise acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made to House appropriators Tuesday that the administration would scrap plans for the fund.
“Democrats will force Republicans to vote on Trump’s MAGA slush fund, his lifetime tax exemption, his billion-dollar taxpayer funded ballroom,” Schumer said from the Senate floor, referring also to an IRS settlement ruling out future Trump audits and the White House project to replace the razed East Wing.
Three GOP senators — Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Jon Husted of Ohio — voted for Schumer’s motion. All are seeking reelection this year.
The motion from Schumer was the first of what is expected to be many attempts from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle at inserting language into the measure about the fund during the so-called “vote-a-rama.”
But unlike other expected attempts, Schumer’s motion could have been approved with a simple majority vote. Other fund-related amendments are likely to be at a higher 60-vote threshold.
There is no limit to the number of amendments that can be offered during “vote-a-rama” aside from senatorial fatigue, and both parties will also be offering proposals to reshape the core immigration enforcement provisions of the bill.
Republicans held the vote on Schumer’s motion open for more than two hours as leaders worked through concerns from several GOP holdouts who have wanted to curtail the fund. In addition to several proposals from Democrats, Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana have filed related amendments.
“I think we’ll have a vote or two around that issue — I can’t predict how it comes out,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said during the lengthy vote on Schumer’s proposal. “People are going to have the option to vote for it.”
Adding language to the bill affecting the DOJ payout fund could divide Republicans and threaten the underlying immigration enforcement bill’s chances of clearing the Senate.
