Washington, DCÂ Â Â Â Â Leaders of the fiercely conservative House Freedom Caucus are compromising on government spending out of concern that if they continue to press unrealistic demands, they will lose the next government shutdown battle.
The group’s head, Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said he had backed down from the $1.471 trillion level that conservatives had been seeking and now supports the $1.59 trillion total spending amount that President Joe Biden and former
Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed.Republicans
Perry informed reporters that Congress shouldn’t go beyond that.
“Avoid using any additional tricks. A majority of House members supported it. The majority of senators supported it. That is our required location. Avoid piling more things on top of it,” he said on Wednesday. “Let’s set that as the number.”Republicans
Representative Chip Roy, a member of the Freedom Caucus from Texas, likewise said that he now supports $1.59 trillion, provided that there are “no gimmicks” or “side deals” to increase the amount.
He said that the initial $1.471 trillion demand was really a bargaining chip.
Roy said, “We wanted $1.471 trillion.” But now that we’ve sort of moved over it, I can be honest. You put in a flag here at 1.471, knowing that at most you’ll receive 1.530, 1.540, or anywhere in between. That’s the reason we’ve always pulled right on the expenditure limit.Republicans
The change occurred the same day Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned Senate Republicans that if the two parties can’t agree on a comprehensive budget, Congress could have to accept a one-year continuing resolution, or CR.
To prevent a government shutdown, Congress will need to resolve financing for the government early in 2019. According to a plan devised by House Republicans, it faces a two-tiered financing deadline, with certain federal agencies running out of money on January 19 and others on February 2.Republicans
Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., a member of the Appropriations Committee, said, “I think most members of Congress understand the problems of a yearlong CR and what it does to the agencies’ ability to have to spend money exactly like they did last year.” “It truly makes them less able.”Republicans
It is preferred by all sides to avoid a one-year temporary law. Conservatives in the House fear that it will worsen their situation by essentially maintaining the status quo that was put in place while Democrats controlled Washington.Republicans
“With a Republican majority in the House, we have nothing to show to date when it comes to spending,” Virginia representative Bob Good said.
Some Republicans are hoping that the Freedom Caucus pivot would facilitate a financing agreement after their tough prior demands forced McCarthy, R-Calif., to resign when he could not appease them and had to turn to a temporary package in late September.Republicans
There are still many obstacles. Regarding spending priorities, the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-led House are poles apart. Many divisive policy items that are popular with the right are being attached by the House but will not survive in the Senate, such as anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion laws.
The leader of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said that the Biden-McCarthy agreement must be adhered to in its totality.Republicans
“House Republicans must adhere to the comprehensive agreement that they negotiated and that was overwhelmingly approved by Congressmen.” When questioned about the Freedom Caucus change, she responded in a statement to NBC News, “The Fiscal Responsibility Act has already forced difficult cuts on domestic discretionary spending—the negotiation has happened, and I will not entertain further cuts.”Republicans
In order to proceed with reasonable, bipartisan full-year spending bills, she stated, “House Republicans have got to get back to the full level of resources in the spending agreement they negotiated and abandon the radical poison pills they’ve demanded— to restrict access to medication abortion nationwide and so much more.”Republicans
To avoid a lapse and a shutdown, much work remains to be done.
“I don’t know exactly how it’s going to get done, but I feel confident that we’ll get it done,” Boozman said.
Original News: NBC NEWS
