-
Cole
Since Republicans took back the majority in the House, one of our commitmentswas to finish the appropriations process in a timely manner, rein in Democrats’ excessive spending and accomplish real policy changes for the American people. As we approach the critical government funding deadline of September 30, the House Appropriations Committee has worked to ensure full-year funding is completed. Unlike Democrats when they were in control, House Republicans are trying to avoid passing these critical government funding bills at the last minute and to instead uphold our Constitutional obligation to fully fund the government on time.
The process by which Congress is supposed to appropriate funding each year involves hearings, discussions andmarkupsinthe12subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Each of those subcommittees writes an annual funding bill, which together cover operations for the entire federal government. By neglecting to pass each of the 12 annual funding bills, lawmakers irresponsibly forgo the opportunity to makechangestospendinganddeliver any authorized funding, creating a lot of uncertainty and inconvenience to our federal agencies, military and the American taxpayer.
Failure to enact all 12 of these laws by September 30 risks a government shutdown, something both sides of the aisle agree should not happen, or a continuing resolution (CR), which would keep current funding levels and programs in place until January 1, 2024. At that point, if all 12 bills have still failed to be enacted, a new law will automatically enact a CR to fund the government until the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2024, which contains a one percent acrossthe- board cut to all programs and agencies. While this reduction may initially seem like a good outcome, an across-the-board cut would lock in unfavorable funding levels and policies from a Democratic majority and be an abdication of House Republicans’ ability to adjust spending to reflect the country’s priorities. Instead, we can, and we should, enact real policy changes and spend our dollars more wisely through full year appropriations.
Unfortunately, Democrats, who were previously in control of the House, Senate and White House, used this process to swiftly enact their expensive and disastrous policies.The Democrat-led, partisan spending resulted in our nation racking up multitrillion deficits in both 2021 and 2022. Every American has felt the impact of the worst inflationary crisis in 40 years, the federal debt continues to spiral out of control and middle-class Americans are paying the price of this irresponsible spending spree. Instead of keeping these funding levels and policies locked in place by a CR, House Republicans must work diligently to pass our bills and negotiate a fair end deal with the Senate and president.
This summer, the House Appropriations Committee has already passed 10 of the 12 appropriations bills out of the full committee to go to the House floor for passage. And last week, the House approved the fiscal year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. While also eliminating wasteful spending, not only would this legislation ensure that those who fought for our freedom receive the healthcare they deserve, it also includes robust investments in military construction to ensure our country can remain ready and continue its missions. The legislation also provides appropriate funding for military housing and other initiatives for military families who have also made exponential sacrifices for our country in their own right. This bill reaffirms House Republicans’ commitment to those who served our countryandourcommondefense,and I was proud to support it.
While negotiations continue to take place on several of these funding bills, I am pleased House Republicans are moving forward with responsible priorities that will reflect the needs of each corner of the nation. Unlike Democrats, we understand we have a job to do, and we cannot just proceed with out-of-touch policies and the out-of-control spending that led to record-high inflation and a weak economy. With just a few more funding bills left to mark up and with bills beginning to pass the full House, we are making progress toward fulfilling our commitment.