Senate Republicans Warm to Reconciliation Backup for Pentagon Funding

According to Axios, Senate Republicans are open to using a third reconciliation package to replenish the Pentagon's depleted weapons stocks, though they still see reconciliation 3.0 as a fallback plan. The White House is pressing House Republicans to back a budget resolution this week, as Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought works to shore up support and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to testify Tuesday on the administration's supplemental request, which includes tens of billions of dollars to replace munitions used in Iran. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the plan faces a steep climb even if it clears the House, while some Republicans want a larger defense package and others want part of the roughly $95 billion in new spending offset. The Senate is also keeping a stopgap continuing resolution in play as the preferred path to avoid a shutdown.