(The Center Square) – The U.S. House will vote Tuesday night on a Continuing Resolution that would fund core government services for the rest of the fiscal year and avert a government shutdown.
With federal programs set to run out of money at midnight Friday, top House Republicans are rallying procedural hardliners in the party to vote for the long-term stopgap that would maintain current budgets for most federal programs until Sept. 30.
The CR would make some funding adjustments, including slashing $13 billion in non-defense spending, boosting defense spending by $6 billion, and adding $500 million to WIC nutrition program spending from fiscal year 2024 funding levels.
It would also authorize billions of dollars for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation efforts, veterans’ health care, and air traffic control safety priorities. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid spending would remain unchanged.
“I do not believe a CR is ideal,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said in a Tuesday statement calling for Republican unity.
“However, the alternative – a government shutdown – is never the answer, as it would not only cause harmful disruptions to the priorities the American people voted for and mandated in Washington, but also hurt resources for veterans, military families, child nutrition programs, border security, civilian workers, and so much more,” Cole said.
House Democrats appear united in their opposition to the bill, meaning U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can only afford to lose two Republican votes if all lawmakers vote.
While Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already vowed to vote no, the normally recalcitrant members of the House Freedom Caucus – which includes fiscal watchdogs Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C. – have expressed their support.
“Contrary to Congress’ longtime abuse of this legislative tool, this CR is a paradigm shift,” the group said on X Sunday. “This bill will reduce and then freeze spending for the next six months to allow President Trump and his Administration to continue their critical work within the Executive Branch to find and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.”
If the CR passes both chambers this week, it would be the third time Congress punted the deadline to pass the annual 12 comprehensive appropriations bills that provide money for federal agencies to spend on programs each year.
This article was originally published at www.thecentersquare.com
Author
