Republicans on Capitol Hill are battling a bad case of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, as intraparty disputes over an immigration enforcement funding package and an extension of the government\u2019s warrantless spying powers have left lawmakers no closer to a resolution on the two matters than they were a month ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate Republicans departed Washington last week without passing the reconciliation package to fund immigration enforcement after disagreements over a $1.776 billion so-called \u201canti-weaponization fund\u201d derailed plans to move the measure before President Trump\u2019s self-imposed June 1 deadline. At the same time, privacy hawks have continued to press for a warrant requirement, and a permanent central bank digital currency (CBDC) ban in any long-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire in mid-June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lack of action on both fronts has fueled frustration among Republicans, many of whom had hoped to notch major legislative victories as the midterm election cycle ramps up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know, this can be a very frustrating place. There\u2019s no question about that, but yeah, I wish we could get more done,\u201d said Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), who was defeated in the Georgia Senate GOP primary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re living in a little bit of dysfunction and chaos,\u201d Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The immigration package and FISA extension are not the only items languishing on Republicans\u2019 legislative to-do list. The upper chamber has yet to take up the House-passed farm bill and housing bill, and any changes to either measure would require sending them back to the House for another vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Republicans are acknowledging that the outlook is bleak for a potential third party-line package they hope to pass without Democratic votes that could include funding for the Iran conflict, defense spending, healthcare reform, fraud prevention and a host of other Republican priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked about the inaction, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) pointed the finger at the Senate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want the American people to understand that what really holds up this town \u2026 what holds up this town more and more: lazy senators,\u201d Donalds said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donalds argued that the House had already passed a three-year extension of Section 702 that included a CBDC ban, but that the Senate declined to take up the measure. Congress instead passed two-short term extensions to keep the surveillance authority in place, after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) warned that any Section 702 reauthorization tied to a CBDC ban would be dead on arrival in the upper chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAsking us what we\u2019re doing. Oh, what are they doing? Maybe they should communicate, maybe they should, you know, talk \u2026 it\u2019s a novel concept,\u201d Donalds added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s unclear when Republicans will finalize the immigration package or whether they can reach an agreement before Section 702 of FISA expires on June 12. Both Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Thune, who are navigating razor-thin GOP margins, not only have to handle the divisions within their own conferences but also disagreements across chambers, complicating efforts to move major legislation across the finish line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund, which would pay out people who believe they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted under the Biden Department of Justice, has sparked concern among many Senate Republicans, who argued that it could allow Jan. 6 rioters \u2014 including those convicted of assaulting police officers \u2014 to receive compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thune said last week that the White House needs to address his colleagues\u2019 concerns about the fund if the immigration bill is to move forward after the Memorial Day recess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Senate Republicans had also pushed back against a provision in the immigration funding package that would include $1 billion in security funding for a new White House ballroom and other Secret Service priorities. The Senate parliamentarian had ruled against the measure, leaving lawmakers divided over how \u2014 or whether \u2014 to revise the provision and incorporate it back into the package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Separately, privacy-minded conservatives in the lower chamber have yet to reach an agreement with Johnson on Section 702 reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHere we go again, and we\u2019ll see. Hopefully they\u2019ve learned from the last \u2026 people\u2019s minds are made up on this, so we need to just, they \u2014 we were almost there. We were almost at a point where we had an agreement,\u201d said Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. \u201cSo maybe we\u2019ll \u2014 hopefully we can move that ground a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bacon said that he finds \u201cthis place works very slow until it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have to get FISA done. We got to fund Border Patrol and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. I mean, those are just the requirements, and if we work with 60 Democrats on FISA, we can get this done pretty quick,\u201d Bacon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson could opt to move a long-term extension of Section 702 through a fast-track process called suspension of the rules, which would require two-thirds support to succeed. But he would need to get enough Democrats on board to move ahead with the effort. Otherwise, he would need near-unanimous support from his conference to advance a long-term extension through regular order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked whether he was confident that lawmakers will meet the FISA deadline, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said, \u201cNo, I\u2019m not. I\u2019m not confident at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
House Republicans, however, are still aiming to steamroll ahead with the immigration funding package and FISA extension, despite the internal tensions, as pressure from the White House ramps up to get both legislative priorities done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy dairy men and women milk cows three times a day,\u201d Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) said. \u201cSo if that means I come here and work 16 hours, which I already do, that\u2019s my job. I\u2019m not worried about doing my job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) said, \u201cI am confident everything will get done. I can\u2019t tell you what day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n