Senate Democrats privately regroup ahead of GOP budget barrage
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) summoned his caucus for a rare Saturday conference call ahead of a potential "vote-a-rama" next week.
Why it matters: Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) budget package includes some $175 billion in border security spending, presenting a potential political minefield for Democratic senators.
Schumer's meeting lasted less than an hour.
- The New York Democrat told his members to prepare a blitz of amendments to the GOP's budget resolution, according to multiple sources familiar with the call.
- Schumer wants Democrats to remain focused on messaging that Republicans want to cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of American families, he told members.
Zoom in: Schumer wasn't certain the GOP's budget resolution would come to the senate floor next week, as has been expected.
- If Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) calls Graham's budget package to the floor next week, it would lead to a "vote-a-rama" — in which senators can offer amendments for some 50 hours to score political points.
Between the lines: Schumer has given his members broad leeway on some controversial issues around immigration, like the Laken Riley Act.
- Democratic activists are demanding their elected lawmakers mount a more forceful response to President Trump's dismantling of the federal government.
- But the reality for incumbent Democrats is that they don't have any immediate way to stop Trump, short of appealing to the federal courts.
- Senate Democrats staged an all-night talk fest last week to protest the confirmation of Russ Vought as Office of Budget and Management director. He was confirmed on a party-line vote.
The bottom line: Many lawmakers are deeply frustrated — and even "pissed" — with progressive pressure campaigns demanding they do more to oppose Trump, as Axios reported.
- The budget process will allow Democrats to go on record defending policies that Trump and Republicans plan to cut.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Schumer have been strategizing on how to draw attention to the GOP's proposed tax cuts and their efforts to trim spending from entitlement programs like Medicaid.
Editor's note: This article was updated with new details from the Senate Democratic call.

