This week, the House started debating our annual appropriations bills – the legislation that funds the federal government. There are 12 different appropriations bills that must pass the House and the Senate by October 1 of each year. The consequence if we do not? Either a continuing resolution (CR) or a government shutdown. Under a CR, all spending remains the same, meaning that we can’t fund new programs, cut outdated ones, or plan for the future.
The way the process is supposed to work is that the House debates each bill individually. However, this year, we are considering SIX at a time. And since House Democrats refused to even create a budget, the result has been out-of-control spending.
The topline funding level House leadership is using is
$176 billion above the Budget Control Act. This could increase the potential of a government shutdown and trigger sequestration. The Budget Control Act of 2011 set limits on discretionary spending, which is separated into two categories: defense and non-defense spending. If Congress spends above the caps, programs receive automatic cuts – including our nation’s military.
The SIX bills we started considering this past week totals nearly $1 trillion in discretionary spending. Even though this legislation massively increases spending, it underfunds critical programs that keep Americans safe. It neglects defense priorities by funding below the Department of Defense’s budget request, fails to address the humanitarian and security crisis at the border, reverses pro-life provisions, and provides millions for failing, ineffective outreach programs for ObamaCare.
Our budget and appropriations process in Washington is clearly broken.
With only 33 legislative days left before the end of the fiscal year, we have only JUST started our appropriations process. This is unacceptable and completely avoidable. One of my top priorities is fixing our funding process and bringing accountability back to Congress. I have three bills to achieve this: the
No Budget No Pay Act that withholds Member pay if a budget isn’t passed by April 15, the
Stay on Schedule Resolution that requires the House to stay in session through August – which many Members use as vacation – if all appropriations bills are not passed by the end of July, and finally the
Inaction Has Consequences Act that withholds Member pay if all 12 appropriations bills are not done by the end of the fiscal year.
As we work through these bills in the coming weeks, I will continue to stand up for the values and priorities of the First District. And, if we get to the end of July and we have not completed all 12 bills, I will do what I have always done: vote against adjournment and ask the Speaker to cancel August recess.
My hope is that House Democrats will start reaching across the aisle to complete this process instead of continuing to prioritize politics over the American people. We must work together to make the tough choices and do the work of the nation.
