House Dems Kill Budd Amendment, Say No to Switching Funds for 87,000 New IRS Agents to Hire More Border Patrol Agents

House Rules Committee Democrats killed an amendment offered by Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) that would have transferred billions of tax dollars the Senate slated for hiring 87,000 new IRS agents and instead hire thousands of new border security agents.

No changes were allowed by the Democratic majority to the Senate version of the Inflation Reduction Act approved by the Senate on Aug. 7 in a 51-50 vote, with Vice-President Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) breaking the tie in the evenly split chamber.

At one point late during the five-hour meeting, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), panel chairman, said “if we amend this, it basically derails the bill … any amendment at this point derails the bill.”

The vote by the House on the Senate version could come as early as Thursday or, more likely, Friday. The measure includes $80 billion to hire the 87,000 additional IRS agents—an expansion that would double the federal tax agency’s workforce.

The committee’s action on the Budd proposal spared the rest of the House Democratic majority from facing a vote, which would have put them on record favoring either doubling the size of the IRS or taking dramatic measures for restoring control of the U.S. southern border that has seen record numbers of illegal immigrants flooding into the country, along with unprecedented amounts of illegal, deadly drugs, including fentanyl.

With President Joe Biden’s popularity at record low levels, Republicans appear headed to regain the House majority in the upcoming midterms and may retake control of the Senate as well. With inflation roaring at the worst levels since 1981 and most Americans struggling to keep up with spiraling gas and food prices, voting to double the size of the federal tax agency could hurt Democrats who are facing tough re-election campaigns.

Budd could not be reached for comment on the committee’s