Senate approves budget resolution which paves the way for tax reform

WASHINGTON- The Senate on Thursday evening approved a budget resolution that helps Republicans move forward with tax reform legislation.

The upper chamber approved the measure in a 51-49 vote.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined the Senate’s 46 Democrats and two independent members in opposing the FY 2018 budget resolution.

The $4.1 trillion budget resolution proposes $1.5 trillion in tax cuts as well as large cuts to social safety net programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a statement issued shortly after the upper chamber approved the measure said the budget resolution: “shifts the burden from the wealthy and puts it squarely on the back of the middle class, and blows a hole in the deficit to boot.”

Schumer in the statement said he believes the resolution: “will go down in history as one of the worst budgets Congress has ever passed.”

Had the Senate rejected the measure, Republicans likely would not have been able to move forward with tax reform legislation because the resolution contains reconciliation instructions.

Reconciliation lowers the threshold for breaking a filibuster and allows the upper chamber to pass tax reform legislation with a simple majority as opposed to sixty votes.

The House approved the budget resolution earlier this month.

Differences between the two measures will be reconciled in a conference committee before the legislation makes it way to the president’s desk.

Republican lawmakers have not yet released the text of their tax reform bill but party leaders have said they are aiming to have the legislation approved before Congress adjourns for Christmas recess.

This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News