Action 142 Budget, Redux
This website has the best rundown on the mechanics and maneuvers behind the Big Ugly Budget Bill. In a nutshell:
· The Parliamentarian finishes the “Byrd Bath” and kicks out all the provisions that aren’t germane to the budget. (This process is underway but there’s more to do. Also, the Senate’s presiding officer (normally the VP, JD Vance) can overrule the Parliamentarian as a point of order)
· Tomorrow (June 26) and Friday the Senate starts voting. Expect voting to drag into the weekend.
· Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats each are allowed 10 hours to offer amendments and debate.
· When that time is up. the bill goes to the Senate floor. After that, no more amendments except during the “Vote-A-Rama”
· During the Vote-A-Rama, amendments can be offered and approved (by majority vote?), but they can’t violate the Byrd Rule and they can’t raise the deficit.
· Once no more amendments are offered, the Senate votes on the amended bill.
· With 51 votes in favor, the bill passes the Senate.
· The Senate-approved bill goes to the House for its concurrence.
· If the House approves it, it goes to the President to sign.
· Trump wants the bill on his desk to sign by Friday July 4
Where is our leverage in all this? EVERY DAY from now until July 4, or whenever the bill goes to Trump, we can urge, demand, and insist that our entire Congressional delegation focus on amending the worst provisions in the bill, even if it denies Trump his desired signing date. Finally, they need to be prepared to vote against it.
Despite the work of the Parliamentarian, the following features will remain in the bill. It
· gives more to the very richest Americans and takes from those who have the least;
· pays for tax giveaways to the rich and corporations by taking health care and food assistance from families, by selling off our public lands, and by devastating our nation’s leadership role in science, technology, education, the environment and much more;
· funnels billions to the already-bloated Pentagon budget;
· creates a slush fund to tear apart immigrant families; and, in a little-discussed feature,
· significantly increases the federal deficit, which could trigger automatic cuts to Medicare through the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Act. Specifically, the bill is estimated to raise the deficit by $2.3 trillion over ten years, leading to potential Medicare cuts of nearly $500 billion. Note that drastic cuts to Medicaid and Medicare will bankrupt rural hospitals in Maine.
The ONLY way to avoid the cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and everything else that actually made America reasonably tolerable for the average citizen, is to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations. DOGE, Trump and their henchmen haven’t been able to find enough cuts in spending to avoid increasing the deficit, even though their proposed cuts are cruel and draconian. Increasing the tax rates for the oligarchs is the ONLY remedy that does not hurt everyone else, and the wealthy can afford it. It’s their patriotic duty.
Action: Call or write a short note every day to our delegation. We are watching their votes. No excuses. If they don’t start working for everyday average Mainers, we will oust them in their next election. Also write a letter to a news outlet, and pledge to yourself that you will try to talk to at least one Republican.
Contact:
Senator Susan Collins: Email: www.collins.senate.gov/contact/email-senator-collins/form
Phone: (202) 224-2523 (DC office), (207) 945-0417 (Bangor office)
Senator Angus King: Email www.king.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-5344 (DC office), (207) 945-8000 (Bangor office)
Representative Jared Golden: Email: golden.house.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-3121 (DC office), (207) 249-7400 (Bangor office)
Representative Chellie Pingree: Email: https://pingree.house.gov/contact/
Phone: (202) 225-6116 (DC office), (207) 774-5019 (Portland office)
Urgency: Every day between now and at least July 4. Watch the news for the bill’s progress. Once it hits Trump’s desk, the die is cast.