U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday that Democrats would use their unlimited amendment privileges on Republicans' budget resolution to draw sharp contrasts on cost-of-living issues and the administration's immigration enforcement spending. The move is expected to trigger a marathon voting session in the chamber.

Republicans voted Tuesday to begin debate on a budget resolution that would allow the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee to each write legislation spending up to $70 billion on immigration enforcement. GOP leaders are using the same budget reconciliation process employed last year when Congress enacted $170 billion in immigration funding — a package sometimes referred to as the "big, beautiful" law — to push through three additional years of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol.

"We are for reducing costs for the American people, whether it's housing or whether it's health care or whether it's electric costs or whether it's groceries or whether it's child care," Schumer said. He contrasted that position with what he called Republican funding of "a rogue police force that is not even popular with the American people."

Amendment debate was expected to begin Wednesday or Thursday, with a simple majority vote to approve the budget resolution to follow. The resolution would then move to the House. For Montanans, the debate touches federal spending priorities that affect both agricultural workers and families relying on federal health programs.