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Republicans say ‘lame duck’ Democrats shouldn’t get funding: GOP goes to battle to oppose new legislation and Manchin tries to get his permitting ‘side deal’ approved with 10 days until a government shutdown
- Republicans are urging colleagues to vote against any continuing resolution that does not fund the government through the start of the next Congress
- They are banking on taking back one or both chambers that would give them greater say over a long-term spending package
- Senate Republicans want a ‘clean’ continuing resolution, free of Manchin’s permitting reform deal with Schumer
- Schumer is trying to attach permitting reform to the continuing resolution as payback for Manchin’s vote on the Inflation Reduction Act
- The White House is looking to add funding for Covid-19, Monkeypox and disaster relief to the continuing resolution
- Democratic leadership in Congress is looking at attaching another $12 billion in funding for Ukraine
Conservative Republicans are calling on their colleagues to stand together against any government funding bill that gives Democrats the chance to pass a yearly budget before the end of this year so that they have a chance to pass a new budget in the next Congress.
Forty-two Republicans, led by Rep. Chip Roy, urged colleagues to vote against any continuing resolution ‘that empowers Democrats to pass a massive spending package in the upcoming lame duck session of Congress,’ according to a press release.
‘As the September 30th federal funding deadline approaches, Republicans must do what is necessary to ensure that not one additional penny will go toward this administration’s radical, inflationary agenda,’ the letter read.
Congress has just 10 days to take action before government funding runs out at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The current continuing resolution (CR) under discussion would fund the government until Dec. 16. The Republicans say they will oppose any continuing resolution that expires before the first day of the next Congress, Jan. 3, to prevent Democrats the opportunity to for a ‘lame duck’ push to pass more of President Biden’s ‘radical, inflationary agenda.’
Conservative Republicans are calling on their colleagues to stand together against any government funding bill that gives Democrats the chance to pass a yearly budget before the end of this year
Senate Republicans want a ‘clean’ continuing resolution, free of Manchin’s permitting reform deal with Schumer
The 46-person House Freedom Caucus has already taken a formal position against any continuing resolution that does not extend until the start of the next Congress and to prepare new appropriations that draw back federal funding to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Republicans are banking on taking back one or both chambers, giving them more say over how federal funds are spent.
On the Senate side, Sen. Mike Lee and 13 of his colleagues are urging for a ‘clean’ CR that is ‘free of additional spending and extraneous policy riders.’
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., are currently working on a deal to attach permitting reform to the CR, in exchange for the moderate senator’s vote on the Inflation Reduction Act.
Republicans are opposed to the permitting reform deal, considering it as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., described it a ‘political payback scheme.’ GOP senators have introduced their own separate permitting legislation. At the same time at least 70 House Democrats have come out in opposition to such a deal.
The White House has requested tens of billions of dollars in new Covid prep funding, despite Biden declaring the pandemic is ‘over’ on Sunday. Republicans have balked at this, arguing they should redirect money from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to cover the cost of tests, therapeutics and new vaccines.
The White House is also seeking money for dealing with the monkeypox outbreak and further disaster relief.
Meanwhile House and Senate Democratic leaders are seeking $12 billion in the CR for Ukraine, a prospect likely to draw some GOP opposition. If approved it would bring the total U.S. funding for Ukraine up to $60 billion.