U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released a statement on July 16 after the House Budget Committee advanced a fiscal year 2027 budget resolution. The resolution initiates a third reconciliation process to allocate nearly $100 billion in federal spending.
Merkley said the budget spends on what he called ‘wasteful programs,’ overlooks working families’ needs, and funds former President Trump’s military actions in Iran. He said, “Over the past year and a half, Republicans have already passed two reconciliation bills—one that stripped away health care and food assistance from millions of Americans to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, and another that gave ICE and Border Patrol a $70 billion slush fund to terrorize our communities.”
He continued by saying, “Now the House Budget Committee has embarked on another bill, not one to bring down the cost of health care, gas, utilities, or childcare, but one to pay for Trump’s unconstitutional war of choice with Iran, to offset Trump’s tariffs, and to implement his voter suppression tactics. All of it adds to the national debt.”
Merkley concluded his statement by urging Senate Republicans not to support this budget proposal: “This is not ‘America First’; it’s families last.” He added that Senate Republicans should instead work with Democrats “to build a better foundation for families to thrive.”
The full statement was released through Merkley’s office as part of his role as Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee.