Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that Republicans are moving ahead — for now — with their budget blueprint, even after President Donald Trump endorsed the House’s competing plan on Wednesday.
“We’re planning to proceed. But, you know, obviously we are interested in and hoping to hear with more clarity where the White House is coming from,” Thune told reporters after meeting with fellow GOP leaders.
The Senate voted to start debate on their budget plan Tuesday, with a marathon “vote-a-rama” on amendments and final adoption expected to start Thursday.
Senate Republicans will discuss the path forward with Vice President JD Vance at a conference lunch Wednesday. Several GOP senators said they are hoping he will clarify what the White House wants — including whether they should proceed with their two-bill strategy, which would see them first pass a border, energy and defense bill and then come back later this year to tackle tax cuts.
House Republicans, by contrast, want to fold everything into one bill — a strategy Trump firmly endorsed Wednesday.
Thune said that the House and Senate are “all want to get the same result and ultimate destination.”
“Obviously we’ve got a plan that we think makes sense,” he added. “But as we’ve said all along — I think you know this — we’re interested in what the House could pass.”
