House Republicans on Saturday unveiled a bill to keep government funded for six months, a blueprint that would boost allocations for defense, make cuts elsewhere, but largely retain funding levels set last year by President Biden. Congress has to pass something before midnight Friday to avoid a government shutdown. The proposal would go around the usual budget process, shifting some of the power to set spending from the appropriations committees to the Trump administration, the Washington Post reports. Democrats immediately denounced the plan.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee said the bill is a "power grab for the White House and further allows unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people," per the Hill. Democrats said the continuing resolution would make it easier for Musk and his Department for Government Efficiency to slash the government and its employees. GOP staff members said the House leadership coordinated the bill and its release with the White House. Speaker Mike Johnson is moving toward a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of Democratic support, per the AP, trying to put the pressure on them. "I don't like CRs," Rep. Ralph Norman said. "But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No."
The 99-page bill:
- Increases spending: More would go toward veterans' health care and defense. Republicans said the defense budget would be about $6 billion higher than in fiscal 2024 but below amounts previously agreed to for fiscal 2025.
- Decreases spending: Non-defense programs would be cut by about $13 billion compared to fiscal 2024, Republicans said. The Internal Revenue Service would be hit, they said.
- Excludes: Disaster relief for the recent fires in California, as well as funding for community projects that lawmakers deliver to their districts. There's nothing in the bill about the debt ceiling issue.
- Leaves intact: Benefits including the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs aren't touched. Those programs aren't regularly reviewed by Congress, and funding continues. Most of government spending, in fact, is not addressed in the bill, per the AP.
(More
government shutdown stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
