Republicans say ‘lame duck’ Democrats shouldn’t get funding: GOP fights new legislation and Manchin seeks approval of its ‘side deal’ with 10 days’ notice before government shuts down
- Republicans are urging their peers to vote against any additional resolutions that the government does not fund by the start of the next Congress
- They are banking on retaking one or both chambers, which would give them a greater say in a long-term spending package
- Senate Republicans want a “clean” standing resolution, devoid of Manchin’s permissive reform deal with Schumer
- Schumer is attempting to attach permit reform to the current resolution as a payback for Manchin’s vote on the anti-inflation bill
- The White House intends to expand the current resolution to include funds for Covid-19, monkeypox and disaster relief
- The Democratic leadership in Congress is considering giving Ukraine an additional $12 billion
Conservative Republicans are urging their peers to unite against any government finance bill that gives Democrats a chance to pass an annual budget before the end of this year, giving them a chance to pass a new budget in next Congress.
Forty-two Republicans, led by Rep. Chip Roy, urged their peers to vote against any additional resolution “authorizing Democrats to pass a massive spending package in the upcoming lame duck session of Congress,” according to a press release .
“As the Sept. 30 federal funding deadline approaches, Republicans must do whatever is necessary to ensure that not a single cent goes to support this administration’s radical, inflationary agenda,” the letter said.
Congress has just 10 days to take action before federal funding expires at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The rolling resolution (CR) currently under discussion would fund the government until December 16. Republicans say they will oppose ongoing resolution, which expires before the first day of next Congress, Jan. 3, to deprive Democrats of an opportunity to come up with a “lame duck” more of President Biden’s “more radical, inflationary agenda”.
Conservative Republicans are urging their peers to unite against any government funding bill that gives Democrats a chance to pass an annual budget before the end of this year
Senate Republicans want a “clean” standing resolution, devoid of Manchin’s permissive reform deal with Schumer
The 46-member House Freedom Caucus has already taken a formal position against any continued resolution that does not stand by the start of the next Congress and to prepare new funds that will pull federal funds back to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Republicans are banking on retaking one or both houses and giving them more say in how federal money is spent.
On the Senate side, Sen. Mike Lee and 13 of his colleagues are pushing for a “clean” CR that is “free of extra spending and irrelevant political burdens.”
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., are currently working on a deal to attach licensing reform to the CR in exchange for the moderate senator’s vote on the inflation-mitigation bill.
Republicans oppose the permitting reform deal, considering it because Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., called it a “political payback program.” GOP senators have introduced their own separate permitting legislation. At the same time, at least 70 House Democrats have spoken out against such a deal.
The White House has requested tens of billions of dollars in new Covid preparedness funding, despite Biden declaring on Sunday the pandemic is “over.” Republicans have fought back, arguing they should divert money from America’s $1.9 trillion bailout to cover the cost of testing, therapeutics and new vaccines.
The White House is also seeking money to help fight the monkeypox outbreak and other disaster relief efforts.
Meanwhile, Democratic House and Senate leaders are demanding $12 billion in the Czech Republic for Ukraine, a prospect likely to draw some GOP opposition. If approved, it would bring total US funding to Ukraine to $60 billion.