The unexpected death of Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who chaired the Budget Committee and held key roles on Appropriations and Judiciary, has thrown Senate Majority Leader John Thune's legislative calendar into chaos. With Graham gone and Senator Mitch McConnell still recovering from a fall, Thune now confronts a series of critical delays that could stall President Trump's top priorities for weeks.
Graham was a forceful advocate for boosting military spending and a leading voice for Trump's signature initiatives, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act and legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. His absence leaves those efforts in limbo as Thune scrambles to reassign committee posts and find replacements for the influential South Carolinian.
Thune has tapped Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to take over the Budget Committee, but Johnson faces a steep learning curve and a tight timeline to advance a third budget reconciliation package, which Trump demanded again last week. Johnson said through a spokesperson he is “prepared to serve as budget chair when announced” and has already met with Graham's staff, but the path forward remains uncertain.
The situation is further complicated by McConnell's indefinite absence from the Senate after a fall at home last month. McConnell chairs the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees the $67.1 billion in emergency funding Trump requested for the military conflict with Iran. Without McConnell and Graham, Republicans hold only 13 votes on the full Appropriations Committee, compared to 14 for Democrats, making it nearly impossible to advance spending bills without bipartisan support.
Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia acknowledged the gravity of the moment. “The direction we had been heading was very difficult anyway,” she said. “Obviously being down, at least on the Appropriations Committee, makes it at least next to impossible” to pass an emergency supplemental spending bill “since the Democrats have said they won’t vote for anything.” She added that the prospects for a third reconciliation package are now much dimmer without Graham at the helm.
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a member of both the Appropriations and Judiciary panels, offered a blunt assessment. “I’m not terribly optimistic,” he said. “I think the next four weeks are going to look like the happy hour at an airport Chili’s.”
Thune has suggested moving the emergency defense funding through regular appropriations, but that would require a deal with Democrats, who are demanding equal increases in nondefense spending. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer warned in a letter Monday that Democrats will block appropriations bills unless Republicans agree to boost domestic programs. “There is nothing normal about putting forward a lopsided proposal that shuts down bipartisan input and jams through one-sided bills that shortchange families, prolong a war, and shield corruption,” Schumer wrote.
The gridlock has already forced Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins to cancel a markup of four spending bills scheduled before the July 4 recess. With Graham's death and McConnell's absence, the Republican agenda appears stalled for the summer, leaving Thune to navigate a treacherous path forward while mourning a close friend.
For more on the political fallout, see our coverage of Lindsey Graham's evolution from maverick to Trump loyalist and the controversy over McConnell's health status.
