House passes short-term funding bill to avert government shutdown
The House passed Wednesday’s short-term funding bill in an attempt to avoid a shutdown. Friday’s deadline was moved to next week, giving lawmakers more time to reach a compromise on spending for fiscal 2023.
With a vote of 224 to 201, the continuing resolution was passed. The Senate now has to pass it and send it to President Biden before Friday midnight to avoid a shutdown.
This measure will ensure that the government is funded at its current level until December 23rd.
After GOP leadership asked rank-and-file members not to support the legislation immediately after it was released, nine Republicans voted for the measure with Democrats: Reps. Adam Kinzinger in Illinois and Liz Cheney in Wyoming. ), Chris Jacobs, Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio), John Katko(N.Y.), Jaime Herrera Beutler [Wash.], Fred Upton (Mich.), Steve Womack (“Ark.”) Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.).
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House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) sent a notice to the members. Leadership urged Republicans to vote no on Tuesday night’s bill as a way to “buy additional time” for a huge lame-duck spending bill. This notice was sent out by Steve Scalise (R-La.).
Internal divisions in the GOP over funding of government are a major concern.
Some would like to freeze the current funding levels until next year in order to give the GOP-led House more control over how the government is funded for fiscal 2023. This began in October. At the beginning of the next Congress, the Republicans will have a majority of 222-212 in the chamber.
On Wednesday, Kevin McCarthy (Republican House Minority Leader) stated that Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Richard Shelby (R.Ala.), will both be retiring at the end this term.
“We have 20 days to go before the new members are sworn into office. McCarthy stated that there are two Senate Appropriations members who won’t be present or able to hold constituents accountable.
“We shouldn’t move a short-term [continuing solution] CR. We should go one more into the new year. Let the American people say what they said last month — that Washington needs to be changed. We cannot afford to continue spending the same way as the Democrats. He said that the future generation will not be able to afford it.”
At the same press conference, Rep. Kay Granger (R.Texas), who is the ranking member of the House Appropriations Panel, stated that a Republican-led House would work toward a spending agreement which cuts wasteful spending and reduces inflation, and prioritizes border security, national defense, and prioritizes the pursuit of national defense.”
Other Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.Ky.) and top Senate negotiators, support an omnibus that is enacted sooner. They cite concerns about funding for national security and defense funding.
Shelby, the top Republican on Senate Appropriations Committee said that they were essentially negotiating with the House Democrats. “Some of the House Republicans haven’t shown as much interest to getting an Omnibus,” Shelby told reporters.
McConnell stated Tuesday that lawmakers were “very close” to passing an Omnibus Appropriations Bill, while setting the time frame for its passage by Dec. 22.
Late Tuesday’s announcement by negotiators was the first step in a framework agreement for the Omnibus. The goal is to move the package through Congress before Christmas Eve. The announcements made recently did not include any details, such as top-line figures.
Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote to Charles Schumer (D.N.Y.), stating that “operating under the CR moves our budget forward, not backward.” He also stated that failing to pass a full year of government funding bills would result in “significant harm to our people, our programs, and would harm our national security, and our competitiveness.”
