Senate to continue 34 hours more of budget debate on Thursday

After more than five hours of debate on the budget resolution, the Senate adjourned Wednesday night.

The Senate will resume debate on the budget at 9 a.m. on Thursday and will continue for another 34 hours of debate since 50 hours is required unless an agreement to yield back time is reached.

Senate Budget Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said he was “unhappy” that the budget is being debated at the end of the week and fears senators will rush through the process in order to get to their two-week recess for the Easter/Passover holiday.

Sessions added that he would not yield back any GOP time, but Democrats are expected to yield some of their debate time back so that the Senate can proceed to the amendment “vote-a-rama.” Under budget rules, an unlimited number of germane amendments are allowed until final passage, which is expected late Friday or earlier Saturday morning.

Democrats say their budget cuts the deficit by $1.85 trillion through and equal share of spending cuts and new revenue over ten years, but the GOP has said that because it assumes the sequester will not happen, the amount if deficit reduction is closer to $700 billion. Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) drafted the Democractic plan currently under consideration.

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