Key facts
- Senate Republicans want the 'anti-weaponization' fund to be definitively ended.
- The fund is proposed at nearly $2 billion.
- The Department of Justice stated it would adhere to a court order against the fund.
- Senator John Thune views shutting down the fund as a prerequisite for budget reconciliation.
- Republicans are seeking further assurances beyond the DOJ's adherence to the court order.
Senate Republicans are demanding that the White House definitively end the proposed 'anti-weaponization' fund before they will consider moving forward with a budget reconciliation package. The Department of Justice announced it would comply with a Virginia federal court's order against the fund, but many Republicans, including Senator John Kennedy, are seeking further assurances that the administration is not planning an appeal or intends to revive the concept. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that the closure of this fund is a necessary condition for advancing legislation.