Republicans Defeat Move to Bar Trump’s Payout Fund
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to prevent President Trump from creating a fund to compensate his political allies, as they began a series of votes on a $70 billion immigration enforcement funding bill.
- The GOP aims to pass the immigration bill to fund enforcement for the remainder of Trump's term, highlighting it as a key priority during an election year when their control of Congress is at risk.
- The bill faced internal GOP resistance due to Trump's requests for $1 billion for a ballroom project and $1.8 billion for a fund to compensate alleged government victims, causing delays in the voting process.
- Despite some Republican dissent, most GOP senators united to defeat Democratic attempts to restrict Trump's authority on various issues, including a failed motion by Senator Chuck Schumer to send the bill back to committee with a prohibition on the fund.
- The Schumer motion was narrowly defeated 50-49, with three Republicans up for re-election joining Democrats in support.