House Republicans introduced a spending bill on Saturday that would keep federal agencies through Sept. 30 and promote an independent strategy that appears to certainly spark a major confrontation with Democrats on the outline of government spending.
The 99-page bill will slightly improve defense plans while revising non-defense plans below the 2024 budget year. For most Democrats who insist on sticking with defensive and non-defensive spending moving in the same direction, this approach may not start.
Congress must act by midnight on Friday to avoid partial government closures.
Speaker Mike Johnson intends to vote in a vote on Tuesday, despite the lack of buying from Democrats, which basically dares to vote against and risk the possibility of a shutdown. He also bets that Republicans can exercise legislation through houses themselves to a large extent.
Often, Republicans have to work with Democrats in making bipartisan measures that both sides can support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the votes they have to pass their bills.
Crucially, the strategy is supported by Donald Trump, who demonstrated his ability to include Republicans during his tenure.
Trump posted on Saturday’s Truth Social: “All Republicans should vote (please!) Yes.”
House Republican leaders outlined the measure on Saturday, saying they would allow about $892.5 billion to spend on defense and about $700.8 billion non-defense spending. Defense spending is slightly higher than the previous year’s level, but the non-defense ratio is below 8%.
Leadership assistants said the deal does not include various sub-protocols aimed at reducing spending cuts. The side deals were part of negotiations by Democrat Joe Biden, then Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who were Republicans at the time. Negotiations allow debt payments to be deferred for expenditure restrictions. Under the terms of the agreement, both defense and non-defense spending will increase by 1% this year.
The measure will not include funding required by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects nationwide, often referred to as designation.
The bill does not include most government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. The funding for both programs is on autonomous driving, not regularly reviewed by Congress.
Republican representative Ralph Norman said he never voted for the ongoing resolution – which lawmakers often call CR, but he did his best. He said he had confidence in Trump and the so-called “Ministry of Government Efficiency” led by Elon Musk to change the country’s debt.
“I don’t like CR,” Norman said. “But what options are there? Negotiate with the Democrats? No.”
“I’ve frozen spending for six months to determine more cuts? I’m told it’s not a Washington victory.” Another lawmaker often voted against the spending bill but supported a six-month ongoing solution.
Republicans also hope that addressing spending this year will make them all out to expand personal tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term and raise the state’s debt restrictions to avoid catastrophic federal defaults.
Democratic leaders warn that the decision to move forward without consulting them increases the prospect of closure. One of their biggest concerns is the legislation will give the Trump administration flexibility in spending.
“We cannot be with and receive a one-year power CR, which will help Elon provide chainsaws for families to plan and institutions that keep our community safe,” said Sen. Patty Murray, chief Democrat of the Washington Senate Appropriations Committee.
Democratic leaders in both parliament stressed that Republicans have a majority and were responsible for funding the government. But leaders have also been cautious about how Democrats will vote on ongoing resolutions.
“We have to wait and see,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. “We have always believed that the only solution is a bipartisan solution, no matter what.”
Trump has been meeting with House Republicans to win votes against legislation. Republicans have a 218-214 majority in the House, so if all lawmakers vote, if Democrats unite, they can only afford one defector. In the Senate, mathematics is becoming increasingly difficult, where at least seven Democrats have to vote for the legislation to overcome litigation. That’s assuming that all 53 Republicans voted for it.
