Senate Republicans Advance Trump’s Tax Plan Framework/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Senate Republicans are advancing President Trump’s sweeping tax cuts package, delaying tough budget decisions. The proposal extends 2017 tax cuts and introduces new breaks, while offsetting costs remains unresolved. Democrats fiercely oppose the plan, calling it a giveaway to the wealthy.
Trump Tax Plan Push: Quick Looks
- Senate Republicans advance budget framework for Trump’s tax cuts.
- Plan extends 2017 tax cuts and adds new exemptions.
- Full cost, revenue impact, and funding still undecided.
- House GOP demands $2 trillion in spending cuts.
- Senate GOP prefers using current policy as baseline.
- Democrats denounce the plan as unfair to working Americans.
- Treasury Secretary Bessent urges Republicans to pass it quickly.
- Senate prepares for vote-a-rama; final package to follow later.
Senate Republicans Advance Trump’s Tax Plan Framework
Deep Look
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are moving forward with President Donald Trump’s massive tax overhaul proposal this week, even as they delay key fiscal decisions on how to cover the multitrillion-dollar cost of the plan.
The Senate GOP’s proposed budget framework serves as a counterpart to the House Republicans’ $4.5 trillion tax cuts package, which calls for slashing $2 trillion from healthcare and other federal programs. While both chambers still need to reconcile differences, Republicans are under increasing pressure to deliver on Trump’s signature domestic policy goal — extending and expanding the 2017 tax cuts, many of which are set to expire by year’s end.
“Obviously we are hopeful this week we can get a budget resolution on the floor that will unlock the process,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “And so we are continuing to move forward with that.”
At the heart of the effort is Trump’s promise to not only extend expiring tax cuts but introduce new ones — including zero taxes on tipped wages, overtime pay, and other earnings. These were key talking points in his 2024 campaign and now form a core element of the proposal.
However, the question of how to fund the tax cuts has created friction between Republicans in the House and Senate.
House vs. Senate GOP: Clashing Fiscal Philosophies
House Republicans argue that the massive tax breaks must be balanced by deep spending cuts — specifically, $2 trillion from government programs like Medicaid and other social services — to avoid ballooning the already $36 trillion national debt.
But Senate Republicans are offering a different strategy. They claim that the 2017 tax cuts are already part of the current economic landscape, so maintaining them would not represent new spending and therefore wouldn’t require equivalent offsets. Under this view, only Trump’s new tax exemptions would be calculated as added costs.
Democrats have harshly criticized this logic.
“It is an obscene fraud and the American people won’t stand for it,” wrote Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, alongside Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, in a pointed letter to GOP leaders.
Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., echoed those sentiments in a fiery overnight speech, calling the Senate GOP approach “a gimmick” that sacrifices essential government services to deliver tax breaks to the wealthy.
“What they’re investing in is bigger tax cuts for the wealthiest,” Booker added.
Internal Negotiations and Fast-Tracking
Behind closed doors, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been coordinating with Senate Republicans, encouraging them to act swiftly to push Trump’s priorities forward. In a closed-door meeting late Monday, he reportedly urged lawmakers to move quickly.
“We just got to start voting,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. “The Treasury secretary made the point that this was something we needed to do — and do it quickly.”
The Senate aims to begin voting this week, launching a “vote-a-rama” — an intense, marathon-style session packed with amendments and procedural votes, potentially stretching into the weekend.
Normally, the Senate parliamentarian would need to approve the GOP’s approach to using a “current policy baseline” under the rules of the budget process. However, Republicans now suggest that Senate Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., could bypass that formality and advance the framework directly.
What’s Next?
While the Senate pushes ahead with the resolution, the most consequential elements of the tax package — especially its fiscal details and long-term impacts — remain unresolved. After the initial framework is passed, Republicans will face the complex task of drafting a final, unified bill capable of passing both chambers, likely requiring weeks or even months of additional negotiation.
With Democrats staunchly opposed and control of Congress at stake in the upcoming election cycle, the future of Trump’s tax cuts will likely remain a central issue in Washington’s political battles heading into the summer.
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