House Republicans Propose Stopgap Funding Bill with Key Adjustments

On Saturday, House Republican leaders revealed a new continuing resolution aimed at funding the government at current levels until the end of September. This 99-page bill marks a significant legislative effort as the deadline for funding approaches.

Bill Highlights

The proposed legislation includes:

• A modest increase of approximately $6 billion in defense spending compared to fiscal year 2024.
• A reduction in non-defense spending by around $13 billion from the previous fiscal year.
• An allocation of an additional $6 billion specifically for veterans’ healthcare.

However, it is important to note that the bill does not account for emergency disaster funding or community project allocations.

Controversial Adjustments

The proposal includes several contentious “anomalies,” such as:

• A $20 billion decrease to IRS enforcement funding.
• A boost in funding directed towards the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation operations.

According to GOP leaders, this funding measure was developed in close coordination with the Biden administration, with funding levels set below the parameters established in a previous bipartisan funding agreement made in 2023.

Political Ramifications

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is pushing forward with this GOP plan, scheduling a House vote for Tuesday without support from Democratic lawmakers. With a slim majority of 218-214, Johnson faces the challenge of ensuring near-unanimous backing from his party, allowing for little margin for error.

The Road Ahead

Passing this Republican-backed funding plan through both chambers of Congress poses a significant challenge, with a deadline set for March 14 looming less than a week away. Speaker Johnson’s approach may need to evolve to gain necessary Democratic support or to appease dissenting voices within his own party.

Critical Response

House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has expressed strong opposition to the continuing resolution, characterizing it as a consolidation of power by the current administration. In a recent press statement, she asserted:

“I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution, which is a power grab for the White House and further allows unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people.”

She further emphasized that this process undermines negotiations necessary for developing comprehensive funding bills that would better serve the middle class and reinforce national security.