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Senate GOP leaders are coming dangerously close to defying President Donald Trump, moving forward on their budget resolution today despite his explicit demand for \u201cboth Chambers to pass the House Budget.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, that’s not how they see it. Senate Majority Leader John Thune insists their two-track version is a back-up plan<\/u><\/a> if the House can’t rally the votes for its budget paving the way for \u201cone big, beautiful bill\u201d that includes immigration, energy and tax policy. And even as Vice President JD Vance backed up the president when he came to a private GOP lunch on Wednesday, senators indicated he didn\u2019t shut down their argument<\/u><\/a> for proceeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe president prefers one big, beautiful bill \u2014 so do I,\u201d Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham told reporters. \u201cBut you always need a Plan B around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not all Senate Republicans agree with that, however. While Thune insisted Wednesday that \u201cour colleagues are on board with the idea of proceeding,\u201d Sen. Rand Paul, the only Republican publicly opposing the budget resolution, left the Wednesday lunch saying \u201cit would be a waste of time\u201d for the Senate to move forward with a marathon \u201cvote-a-rama.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Sen. Josh Hawley told reporters he was \u201cbaffled\u201d by GOP leaders\u2019 strategy, adding later: \u201cIt’s getting to the point of absurdity that the leadership of the two houses won’t get on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buckle in for a long night \u2014 and early morning \u2014 as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats plan to force Republicans to take tough amendment votes. There\u2019s no limit during a vote-a-rama \u2014 it ends when senators run out of gas.<\/p>\n

Over in the House: An emboldened Speaker Mike Johnson is using Trump\u2019s endorsement of the House budget to rally Republican holdouts to \u201cget it done.\u201d<\/u><\/a> Wary members still want to know how the speaker is going to reach $2 trillion in spending cuts without harming Medicaid services, and Republicans in Hispanic-heavy districts warned Johnson in a letter not to slash Medicaid or SNAP<\/u><\/a>. But House GOP leaders believe the members will ultimately vote for the budget blueprint, which would instruct committees to find these savings, so as not to stand in the way of advancing Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n

What else we’re watching:<\/b><\/p>\n