Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Thursday that Republicans do not currently have the 50 votes needed in the Senate to advance a House-passed budget resolution designed to unlock a $95 billion reconciliation bill.
The measure would fund military and intelligence operations related to Iran at $73 billion, agricultural aid at $12 billion, and election-related reforms at $10 billion. Thune's comments came as Congress faces an end-of-month deadline to avert a government shutdown.
"As I've said before you got to get to 50, and I can't count to 50 right now on a budget resolution," Thune said when asked about the House-passed framework.
The South Dakota Republican said he plans to hold the House-passed measure as a potential vehicle for a short-term continuing resolution if needed in September. "If they give us a budget resolution as a vehicle, we will hold that subject obviously to be able to move a continuing resolution to fund the government," Thune stated Tuesday.
The budget reconciliation process would allow Republicans to pass legislation with a simple majority, bypassing the 60-vote filibuster threshold required under standard Senate procedure. "It's a possibility that if necessary we could pull that budget resolution passed by the House and use it to fund government. I hope that's not necessary," Thune said.
House Republican leadership also advanced a continuing resolution Tuesday to fund the government through Dec. 4, though current spending authority expires Sept. 30. Thune said he expects to schedule a vote on the stopgap before the August recess.
Thune noted Thursday that elements of the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to vote, would need careful structuring to satisfy Senate parliamentary rules for inclusion in reconciliation.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative Republicans argue the $73 billion allocation for military and intelligence operations in Iran represents a critical national security priority that cannot wait for extended deliberation. Supporters say the funding is necessary given ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
GOP senators from agricultural states have championed the $12 billion farm aid package, arguing it provides essential support for rural communities facing economic challenges. "The priority is funding the government," Thune said Thursday. "To me that's the thing we got to keep our eyes on."
Republican proponents of the SAVE America Act provisions contend common-sense voting verification requirements protect election integrity. They maintain such measures can be structured to comply with Senate reconciliation rules if drafted carefully.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats have questioned using the budget reconciliation process for election-related provisions they say fall outside the scope of fiscal legislation. The party's leadership has argued that voting requirements should be considered through regular order with bipartisan support rather than attached to must-pass government funding measures.
Democrats have also raised concerns about routing military spending for Iran operations through reconciliation without broader foreign policy debate. Some members have suggested a clean continuing resolution without policy riders would be the most straightforward path to avoiding a shutdown.
The Senate minority has not offered detailed counter-proposals on the agricultural aid portion, though several Democrats from farm states have indicated openness to targeted farm assistance separate from the larger reconciliation framework.
What the Numbers Show
The House-passed budget resolution would unlock $95 billion in spending through reconciliation: $73 billion for military and intelligence agencies, $12 billion for agricultural programs, and $10 billion for voting-related reforms. Current government funding expires Sept. 30, leaving less than six weeks to reach a deal. The Senate requires 51 votes to pass reconciliation bills with a simple majority. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate.
The Bottom Line
Thune's acknowledgment that he cannot secure the necessary GOP votes reflects ongoing divisions within the Republican conference over both legislative strategy and policy priorities. The Sept. 30 funding deadline creates pressure on party leaders to either find 50 votes for a reconciliation vehicle or reach bipartisan agreement on a clean continuing resolution. What happens with these negotiations before the August recess could determine whether government funding remains attached to broader conservative priorities or proceeds as standalone legislation.