House and Senate pass budget resolutions

Senate and House Republicans successfully passed their fiscal 2025 budget resolutions (S Con Res 7 and H Con Res 14) on Feb. 21 and Feb. 25, respectively – a necessary step toward crafting a filibuster-proof reconciliation package that includes many of President Trump’s priorities. The Senate resolution allocates spending for energy, defense and immigration, offset by corresponding cuts, while delaying action to permanently extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and raise the nation’s debt limit. The House resolution includes tax cuts and the debt limit hike alongside energy, defense and immigration spending. Potential cuts to Medicaid, Pell Grants and SNAP are part of the discussion to reach the $1.5 trillion in spending cuts that House GOP leaders promised. The House and Senate bills need to be reconciled before Congress can move forward with crafting a reconciliation package. Small-business tax cuts are among several potential issues related to the specialty that could be addressed in the reconciliation bill.