The Senate will go on recess without voting on a reconciliation bill tied to the Department of Justice's $1.8 billion weaponization fund, according to reports on Thursday.
PunchBowl News reporters Jake Sherman and Andrew Desiderio reported that Sen. John Thune (R-ND) told senators that the bill would be left unfinished while the lawmakers returned home for the Memorial Day holiday.
"House is expected to follow suit soon," Sherman wrote in a post on X.
A growing number of Republicans have voiced opposition to the Trump administration's new fund — with many citing concerns that Jan. 6, 2021 defendants could be compensated after ransacking the Capitol.
NBC News reporter Ryan Nobles described how significant Thune's move was in a post on X.
"Senate GOP leaders have postponed plans to pass a budget reconciliation package designed to fund ICE & CBP because of concerns around the DOJ weaponization fund. This is remarkable given that the weaponization fund was/is not part of the original bill," Nobles wrote.
Scott MacFarlane, MeidasTouch's chief Washington correspondent, revealed what one Republican lawmaker said was a major factor in postponing the vote.
"Sen John Hoover (R-ND) says the issue of the $1.7 billion Trump fund for convicted criminals has caused trouble for Senate GOP spending bill. Hoeven says colleagues want 'guardrails,'" MacFarlane wrote in a post on X.