Trump presses $350 billion defense push as GOP balks on new bill
What's next: Republican leaders say a third reconciliation package is a long shot before the November midterms.
President Donald Trump is pressing congressional Republicans to pass a third budget reconciliation bill with $350 billion in added military funding and the stalled SAVE Act on voter ID and citizenship verification. The push came hours after he signed a separate Republican reconciliation law providing $70 billion for immigration enforcement through the rest of his term. But GOP support appears shaky. Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned Republicans need a package they can actually pass, while Sen. John Kennedy called any major bill before the midterms a “very, very long shot.” Some Republicans also remain uneasy with Trump’s broader call for a $1.5 trillion military budget and with bypassing the normal appropriations process.