Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford said Republicans will use a reconciliation bill to include their “wish list” agendas, as other reconciliation bills are less likely to come through due to the GOP’s slim majority in Congress.
Republicans are currently using the budget reconciliation process to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s presidency, in an effort to end the current partial government shutdown and avoid future ones over DHS funding.
“Because there is a sense as we get closer and closer to the midterms, Republican primaries are even closer than that, members recognize that this one reconciliation bill that has the DHS funding in it might be the only train leaving the station,” Bedford said Wednesday on the Hugh Hewitt Show.
Bedford said Republicans will attempt to add their agenda items to the reconciliation bill because the lawmakers recognize a second or third reconciliation is “not guaranteed.”
“There are not a lot of Republicans who have specific asks that are going to be willing to let that train leave the station without at least trying to get their goods on board,” Bedford said.
“You’re going to have Republicans probably object to the idea of just doing DHS funding if they see a chance, probably their only chance potentially, to get their wish list funded.”
The reconciliation bill would end the partial DHS shutdown without Democratic support as long as all Republicans vote in favor of the bill, which could be a challenge if Republicans attempt to include their own provisions in the legislation.
Trump supports the reconciliation bill funding the DHS, posting on Truth Social shortly after meeting with Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who chairs the committee that will launch the effort in the Senate, saying it is “on track.”
“Radical Left Democrats like Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem ‘High-Tax’ Jeffries, will do their best to stop us, but we don’t need their votes on this Bill, as long as Republicans UNIFY, and stick together,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
JOHNSON WON’T REOPEN DHS UNTIL THUNE MAKES GOOD ON MEGABILL PROMISE
Trump called on Republican lawmakers to have the bill on his desk by June 1.
“The Department cannot wait any longer for full funding,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We must beat the Radical Left Democrats at their own game.”