President’s Allies Want Quick BorderBill Win

WASHINGTON-Senate Republicans are charging ahead with a border enforcement and defense-spending plan, aiming to leapfrog their House colleagues and deliver a quick victory on President Trump's priorities before turning to tax policy later in the year.

- RICHARD RUBIN

Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) called for $342 billion in new spending over four years, paired with an equal amount of spending cuts. Graham's panel will meet next week to take the first formal steps on the border-and-defense proposal.

Graham's move puts him at odds with House Republicans, who are still trying to assemble the blueprint for their "one big, beautiful bill" that would add the South Carolina Republican's items to an extension of expiring tax cuts, cuts to programs such as Medicaid and perhaps a debt-limit increase.

Meanwhile, House Republicans said Friday they are making progress on a budget framework and aim to release a plan as soon as this weekend.

The monthslong internal Republican debate over legislative strategy-one bill or two?-remains unresolved. Instead of settling on an answer, for now, they are doing both. Next week could bring dueling Budget Committee votes-one in the House and one in the Senateon very different plans.