SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER MERKLEY RELEASES STATEMENT ON REPUBLICANS' PUSH TO PASS A SECOND UNPOPULAR RECONCILIATION BILL

WASHINGTON, April 21 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley issued the following press release:

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 focu...