Thune. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Senate Republicans released their budget resolution on Wednesday, moving their reconciliation process forward while largely punting on the size of Medicaid cuts.
Why it matters: The budget doesn't give a clear cut target number for savings to be derived from the safety net program, delaying what could be politically charged decisions about its future.
What's inside: The budget instructs the Senate Finance Committee to come up with changes that will increase the deficit by not more than $1.5 trillion.
- The Finance Committee oversees taxes as well as Medicaid, though, so it is not yet clear from that instruction if there will be Medicaid changes mixed in with the tax changes.
- The budget also uses a "current policy baseline," meaning the roughly $3.8 trillion cost of extending current tax cuts is not included in that instruction and is viewed as not needing to be offset.
- Some experts say the real tax cut target would be more like $5.3 trillion once those extensions are factored in.
What they're saying: The budget plan "demonstrates a commitment to reducing the size and scope of the federal government by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, while we stand with President Trump to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
What's next: House conservatives still could push back on the lack of specificity about budget cuts.
- The Senate could vote on the budget later this week or this weekend.
