Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Merkley Releases Statement on Republicans’ Push to Pass a Second Unpopular Reconciliation Bill

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the below statement following the Senate Republicans' release of a fiscal year 2026 budget resolution to tee up the passage of a second reconciliation bill that would throw up to $140 billion at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

"Last summer, Republicans passed a mega bill betraying hardworking American families, cutting more than $1 TRILLION from health care programs to fund tax breaks for billionaires. Now, Republicans are once again ignoring the issues that Americans are begging Congress to address.

"Rather than focusing on lowering the cost of gas or groceries, Congressional Republicans are hellbent on passing another bill to provide even more funds to ICE and CBP - agencies that were already funded at multiple times their former budget last year!

"In addition, Republicans rejected any commonsense reforms for these agencies such as wearing identification or getting a warrant before breaking into homes.

"Instead, the Republican plan is more money for more secret police tactics that are terrorizing communities across America.

"As Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, I will fight further unchecked power and blank checks to Trump's secret police and continue to focus on hardworking families-families who are struggling to make ends meet due to policies championed by Trump and Congressional Republicans," said Ranking Member Jeff Merkley.

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