The U.S. Senate began the process last week for a reconciliation 2.0 framework to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol at roughly $75 million (reconciliation 1.0 was the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted last July). The framework for 2.0 is narrowly tailored and only focused on instructions to the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees; it does not address any Argentum or senior living relevant priorities. President Trump has said he wants a final package to the White House by June 1.
Some Republican lawmakers are pushing to expand the package, both in scope and in size, so that it would include other legislative priorities ahead of the November elections. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has repeatedly called for a larger reconciliation package of up to 10 years of funding for ICE and Border Patrol, along with other priorities like indexing capital gains for inflation.
The process remains relatively early, as both chambers must first pass a budget resolution with instructions for how to proceed in terms of policy priorities and total spending. Then the committees will be able to do the legislative work to craft the bill, before voting on it in each chamber to send to the president for his signature. The nature of the reconciliation process means that only simple majorities are needed in both the House and Senate, and that Senate Democrats cannot unilaterally block the bill with a filibuster.
Congressional Republicans are pushing for a reconciliation 3.0 bill in the fall that could capture many of their remaining priorities, particularly if the November elections results in a change in power for either or both chambers. Among these are Argentum priorities for tax policies to help more Americans plan and save for their long-term care expenses, such as the Credit for Caring Act and extending tax-favorability of 529 plans to be used for long-term care expenses. There are limited vehicles to advance such legislation, with a year-end omnibus package being the next most likely.