Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) warned in a “Dear Colleague” letter to Democrats Tuesday {that a} Republican package deal to claw again funding for public broadcasting and international support would “poison” any bipartisan goodwill wanted to barter the 12 annual spending payments.
Schumer argued that for Republicans to barter bipartisan spending offers with Democrats, which want 60 votes to cross the Senate, then flip round and cross a partisan rescissions package deal that solely wants a easy majority could be a blow to the common appropriations course of.
“Republicans’ passage of this purely partisan proposal could be an affront to the bipartisan appropriations course of,” Schumer warned in his letter, including that it could be “absurd” for GOP lawmakers to then “expect Democrats to act as business as usual and engage in a bipartisan appropriations process to fund government.”
Schumer cited reporting suggesting that Trump administration officers promised conservatives on Capitol Hill to defund sure federal applications in trade for his or her help of the One Huge, Lovely Invoice Act, which President Trump signed into legislation on July 4.
“This is beyond bait and switch — it is a bait and poison-to-kill. Senate Republicans must reject this partisan path and instead work with Democrats on a bipartisan appropriations process,” he stated.
The Senate has till July 18 to vote on the rescissions package deal Trump despatched to Capitol Hill, which might claw again $9.4 billion in congressionally approved funding. It could revoke $1.1 billion in funding for PBS, NPR and $8.3 billion in international aide.
It narrowly handed the Home by a vote of 214 to 212 final month.
“Republicans are, in effect, proposing Congress negotiate bipartisan deals in the Committee room, while they retreat to a backroom to rubberstamp President Trump’s purely partisan scheme that only needs a simple majority to pass to tear up those very same agreements,” Schumer wrote.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) has voiced issues about cuts to international well being applications and senators count on the Home-passed package deal to be modified in terms of the Senate flooring.
“I do not support the rescission for PEPFAR and global health programs,” Collins informed reporters final month when requested concerning the rescissions proposal.
Schumer on Tuesday urged Collins and different GOP senators to reject the rescissions package deal and put collectively bipartisan offers on appropriations for fiscal yr 2026, warning {that a} failure to work in good religion would have long-lasting implications for Congress.
“How Republicans answer this question on rescissions and other forthcoming issues will have grave implications for the Congress, the very role of the legislative branch, and, more importantly, our country,” he wrote.
