The budget resolution debate is in full swing today on the floor of the Senate. There are a few important amendments scheduled for votes (either today or tomorrow) that we estimate are extremely close at this point. Any work you can do today and tomorrow contacting your Senators' offices to urge them to support these amendments could certainly make the difference. The American Friends Service Committee has generously provided an 800 number to contact Congress in Washington DC. The number is 800-247-2971 1. Feingold/Chafee Pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) Amendment Senators Feingold (WI) and Chafee (RI) are cosponsoring an amendment to require all increases in entitlement spending or tax cuts to be revenue neutral - or be offset in other areas of the budget. This PAYGO rule is the same that was successful during the 1990s in reducing deficits and is a key aspect to any deficit reduction effort. Most whip counts show this vote currently stands dead even (50-50). Republican Senators Chafee (RI), Snowe (ME), Collins (ME), McCain (AZ), and Voinovich (OH) are in support of the amendment. 2. Carper Removing Tax Cuts From Reconciliation Amendment We learned last night that Senator Carper (DE) plans to offer an amendment to remove the use of the "fast-track" budget reconciliation process for an additional $70 billion in tax cuts this year. Congress could still pass these tax cuts, but they could not push them through on a simple majority vote. This amendment would make it more likely that any additional tax cuts enacted this year would have to be paid for -- and thus not contribute to deeper deficits that in turn will make harmful spending cuts even more inevitable in the future. This vote is also expected to be very close and similar to the vote on the Feingold/Chafee amendment. 3. Smith-Bingaman Medicaid Amendment Senators Smith (OR) and Bingaman (NM) are cosponsoring an amendment to remove language requiring the Finance committee to cut $15 billion from the Medicaid program. The amendment would protect Medicaid from cuts this year and instead establish a bipartisan commission to study the program. According to Bingaman's office, this vote also stands at 50-50 as of this morning. The amendment has 5 Republican cosponsors (Smith (OR), Coleman (MN), Snowe (ME), Chaffee (RI), and DeWine (OH)).