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Lawmakers speak on budget reconciliation bill
Senate Democrats including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer deliver remarks on the budget reconciliation bill.
Senate Republicans have walked away from a vote on President Trump’s immigration enforcement bill amid concerns over a proposed $1.8 billion fund to pay Trump’s political allies in exchange for dropping his lawsuit against the IRS.
According to The Associated Press, Senate Republicans will not hold a vote on the $70 billion immigration package before they leave for recess, which puts them in jeopardy of missing a self-imposed June 1 deadline to get the immigration budget passed. Here’s the latest:
Trump’s $1.8 billion fund sparks backlash
What we know:
Republican senators met with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Thursday as they worked to finalize the bill’s text and whether to put parameters on the proposed IRS lawsuit settlement. Reports say the $1.78 billion settlement fund would be called the "Truth and Justice Commission," and give taxpayer money to Trump allies who claim to be victims of the "weaponization of government."
RELATED: Trump seeks $1.7 billion fund to pay allies in exchange for dropping IRS lawsuit: reports
At a congressional hearing Tuesday, Blanche refused to rule out payments to the nearly 1,600 people charged with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Two officers who were working during the Capitol attack have filed a lawsuit to stop the fund from paying anyone who participated in the riot.
What they're saying:
Several GOP senators have spoken out against the settlement.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Thursday that senators had questions and wanted to know "how we might make sure that it’s fenced in appropriately."
A view of the U.S. Capitol on May 19, 2026 (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for The Service Employees International Union (SEIU))
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said, "We’re going home."
RELATED: Jan. 6 officers sue to block payouts from Trump’s new ‘Anti-Weaponization’ fund
The House also canceled a planned Friday vote on the immigration package.
What we don't know:
It’s unclear when the Senate will take up the immigration enforcement bill, or what amendments may be added to put restrictions on Trump’s political fund.
Asked Thursday at the White House if he was losing control of the Senate, Trump replied: "I don’t know, I really don’t know. I can tell you — I only do what’s right."
Dig deeper:
The GOP clash gives Democrats an opening: Republicans are trying to pass the immigration bill through a complicated budget process that requires a long series of amendment votes in order to bypass a filibuster by Democrats.
Democrats are considering multiple amendments, potentially to block that settlement fund outright or to ban any payments to Trump supporters who harmed law enforcement officers on Jan. 6.
The Source: This article includes information from The Associated Press and previous FOX Local reporting.