House GOP strikes internal deal as shutdown approaches

Two key factions in the House Republican conference have reached agreement on a bill that would avert another month of government shutdown and reduce discretionary spending during it, and a large portion of the House Republican bill that would change border policy. .

hope is, Ongoing solution (CR) The proposed agreement was authored by leaders of the Main Street Caucus and the House Freedom Caucus and was introduced on the House floor this week. But even if it passes the House, there is a small chance it will pass the Democratic-controlled Senate and be signed by the White House. And on Sunday night, there were signs that the plan would face an uphill battle to pass the slim Republican majority in the House.

The deal funds the government through Oct. 31, keeping the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs at current levels, while cutting all discretionary spending by 8% to meet the looming Oct. 1 deadline. would avoid a government shutdown. It would also include House Republicans’ H.R. 2 border enforcement bill (excluding the E-Verify mandate).

This does not include disaster relief funds or money for Ukraine from the August request for additional funds, which the White House proposed attaching to the continuing resolution.

In addition, Republican officials say they plan to pass a spending bill to fund the Department of Defense (DOD) for fiscal year 2024 alongside the CR bill. House Republican leaders last week protested their desire to make deep cuts to all other spending bills, blaming hardline conservatives on the Pentagon bill for planning to sink a procedural vote that would have allowed it to be debated. The plan to debate the issue in the House of Representatives had to be blocked.

The CR bill is sponsored by Rep. Byron Donald (R-Florida). Dusty Johnson (RS.D.), chairman of the Main Street Caucus, a pragmatic conservative group; Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania), chairman of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Main Street Caucus Vice Chair. Chip Roy (R-Texas); and Kelly Armstrong (RN.D.).

“HFC members worked with the Main Street Caucus this past weekend to create a pathway to fund the government and secure America’s borders. We are currently working with our colleagues across the House Republican Conference to We have a framework,” Perry said in a statement.

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to consider the bill on Monday. The current plan is for the House to vote on the Pentagon spending bill on Wednesday and the continuing resolution on Thursday, a person on the call confirmed to The Hill.

But shortly after the House Republicans’ conference call concluded Sunday evening, the plan was expected to be met with outright Democratic opposition, and it took several major steps to gain enough support from the razor-thin House Republican majority. It became clear that there was a problem.

Enough Republicans voiced opposition to the bill Sunday night, which could sink the plan.

Congressman Dan Bishop (RN.C.) I wrote to X He said he opposes the bill, as does Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.).

“We promised in January that we were not going to use Democratic tactics to fund the government, and that we would introduce 12 spending bills that would fund the government responsibly and transparently. That’s why I’m going to vote against CR this week.” Rosendale I wrote to X.

That’s why I did it “I will not surrender,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told The Hill he would not vote for the bill, adding that he did not believe there were enough votes to pass it. And Rep. Ralph Norman, R.S., fielded a series of questions following Sunday night’s email, calling for long-standing calls from hard-line conservatives to further reduce total spending in all 12 spending bills. I took up the request.

“My questions are: 1) What is the maximum amount for all 12 spending bills, not including the rescinds? Leaders will not step up to the mat and cede power, regardless of the days of shutdown. Why aren’t we working on passing all 12 budgets now!!” Norman told The Hill in a text message.

Congressional leaders from both parties and Congress are seeking to pass a continuing resolution to buy time to complete the spending process through regular orders, including passing and signing all 12 spending bills into law. is included. But both chambers are far behind, with the House passing only one bill and the Senate passing none.

But time is ticking. The debt limitation agreement signed into law in June included a provision that would result in a 1% across-the-board reduction if all 12 spending bills were not passed by January 1, 2025.

Adding to the pressure, however, is the fact that both chambers could increase their bills by different levels, creating a House-versus-Senate conflict situation that could push Congress to the brink of another shutdown.

The Senate is increasing the bill in line with the cap set in the debt limitation agreement. Approximately $14 billion in additional emergency fundingwhile the House is proceeding at a much lower level than the debt limitation agreement.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said early Sunday on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he intends to bring the defense funding bill to the floor, expressing optimism that a deal could be reached this week.

“I gave them an opportunity this weekend to solve this issue. Win or lose, we’re going to bring this issue to the floor and we’re going to have to figure out who’s in the Department of Defense, who’s in the military, who’s going to provide policy for them.” “We’re going to show the American people, ‘Who’s going to make sure we get pay raises and eliminate payism?'” McCarthy said.

This article was updated at 9:33 p.m.