Senate First to Adopt GOP Budget Reconciliation Plan

Following an all-night “vote-a-rama” session, Senators voted 52-48 to advance the GOP budget blueprint, S. Con. Res. 7, that would provide $340 billion in military, immigration enforcement and energy spending. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only Republican to join all 47 Democrats in voting against the budget resolution. Senate Democrats offered numerous amendments seeking to put Republicans on record and force difficult votes on cuts to benefits programs.

On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already stated he has no intention of taking up the Senate’s resolution. Instead, House Republican leaders plan to bring their resolution, H. Con. Res. 14, to the floor this week. The president has expressed his support for the House version, but there is still no indication that House Republican leadership can unite factions in the party to pass a single budget resolution.

The House Budget Committee's resolution has tasked the Education and Workforce Committee with identifying $330 billion in deficit reductions over the next decade, which may include caps on federal student loans and increased costs to osteopathic medical schools. AACOM has made opposition to these provisions a top priority and is engaging House and Senate members, along with partner organizations, to communicate the detrimental impact to the healthcare industry.