SENATE UPDATE: Budget Passes Senate, Heads to House

Last Week

The Senate confirmed four of President Trump’s executive branch nominees:

• Matt Whitaker to be U.S. Permanent Representative on the Council of NATO (52-45)

• Dean Sauer to be Solicitor General (52-45)

• Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (53-45)

• Harmeet Dhillon to be an Assistant Attorney General (52-45)

The Senate also passed a resolution rescinding a Biden Administration rule regulating walk-in freezers.

But the big news last week was the Senate’s passage of a new ten-year budget framework (51-48). Senate Republicans beat back more than a dozen Democrat amendments and motions attempting to scuttle or water down the proposal. In the end, President Trump’s mandate to lower taxes, cut spending, and secure the border moved one step closer to becoming law.

Conservative Spotlight

TARIFFS — The biggest issue in Washington this week will be the ongoing fallout from President Trump’s tariffs. As we pointed out earlier, Trump’s tariffs are already working. They are putting pressure on our foreign trading partners to finally lower their trade barriers. And they are putting pressure on congressional Republicans to finally get their act together. We need pro-growth reforms like tax relief, deregulation, and increased energy production more than ever. The Senate passing a budget is a strong step. After decades of complacency, Congress needs to stop navel-gazing about political distractions and do its job.

JOSH HAWLEY — On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) will chair a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing about Meta’s cooperation with the Chinese Communist Party in censoring political speech on Facebook. One of the witnesses will be a Facebook whistleblower with first-hand knowledge of the company’s corruption.

ERIC SCHMITT — Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has introduced an important bill affirming U.S. first responders’ free speech rights. For too long, police, firefighters, and other emergency response personnel have faced suspensions, firing, or “cancelation” just for expressing their constitutionally protected views. “The Public Safety Free Speech Act” will ensure first responders’ First Amendment rights are as protected as everyone else’s.

This Week

The Senate is expected to process several of President Trump’s nominees, starting with one of his best: Elbridge Colby for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Other nominees teed up for floor processing this week include:

• Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be U.S. Ambassador to the State of Israel

• Former Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra to be U.S. Ambassador to Canada.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

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