Congressional leaders announced a bill Wednesday that would extend the deadline for government funding, but the bill was declared invalid just hours after it was announced.
This led to intervention from conservative Trump allies such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who threatened to support preliminary challenges to Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill.
As a result, President-elect Donald Trump has said he is “totally opposed” to the bill, arguing that any spending deal would save the government headaches by raising the debt ceiling before he takes office.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks with former President Donald Trump during the Butler Farm Show campaign event on Saturday, October 5, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post, Getty Images)
The Continuing Resolution (CR) would continue spending at 2024 levels through March, pushing back government funding deadlines and buying time for Congress to quickly develop a long-term budget for 2025. That was my intention. However, it contained 1,500 items. Pages worth of policies and funding specials.
With national debt, 36 trillion dollars With a deficit of $1.8 trillion, conservatives are concerned about CR not cutting government spending in the first place. However, they claimed that only “clean” CRs with no riders attached could get votes. But other lawmakers, Democrats and some Republicans, wanted to add policy and funding riders to break the status quo and get something done.
Here are all the provisions that led Musk and Ramaswamy to step in and insist that Republicans kill CR.
Increase in salaries for parliamentarians
If the bill passes, it would give lawmakers a nearly 4 percent pay raise, giving them an extra $6,600 a year on top of their $174,000 salaries.
That salary hasn't increased since 2009, but Congress created a program in 2022 that allows members to cover the cost of meals and lodging while on duty in Washington, D.C.
Some MPs have been demanding higher salaries for years, arguing that unless MPs are paid more, only the independently wealthy will run for parliament. Some are concerned about the relationship the wage hike will have with voters.
Still, some don't think lawmakers deserve it.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told X, “The worst part of CR was the pay increases for our members. That money has to be earned, and now it's just being taken.” Ta.
Congressman Tim Burchett speaks with journalists at the U.S. Capitol on February 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong)
Exempt members from Obamacare
The bill also includes a provision that would make it unnecessary for members of Congress to participate in the health care program enacted into law (the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare).
This would allow members to opt out of the program and instead participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Legislators' powers were a controversial debate during the passage of Obamacare in 2009 and 2010, and Republicans sought to overturn the health care bill in its entirety for years.
CR exempts members from the requirement to purchase health care on the Obamacare exchanges, but requires employees to participate in Obamacare.
Congress unveils more than $100 billion in disaster relief bill to avert government shutdown on Friday
disaster relief
House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose job is under new threat due to anger over CR, started with a “clean” CR plan, but will not provide disaster relief for victims of Hurricanes Helen and Milton in the southeastern part of the country. Said it needed to be added.
It includes about $100 billion for disaster relief, but some conservatives say the cost should be met by cutting funding to other areas.
Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland
The CR includes $8 billion to rebuild bridges in the Baltimore area that collapsed earlier this year. Some conservatives believe the federal government should not take full responsibility for bridge construction.
“What do you think, folks? Even though the Francis Scott Key Bridge is privately owned, insured, and tolled, we have the honor of paying for the entire repair cost. Oh, and “Once it was fixed, we would continue to collect fees,'' Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Scott Perry wrote about X.
A section of the bridge from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is suspended from the container ship Dali in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26, 2024. (Army Corps of Engineers/Handout via Reuters)
Ethanol sales volume increases throughout the year
The plan would allow annual sales of gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol, a major win for the corn and ethanol lobby. E15 is currently blocked from sale from June to September due to its high emissions.
Opposition to E15 mandates appears to be more of a regional argument than an ideological one, with Southern Republicans in oil-producing states wanting to protect pure gasoline. Agricultural countries want to protect farmers and their subsidies.
Democrats complain about “President Mask'' on ongoing Republican spending drama
Reauthorization of State Department agencies; Republicans condemn suppression of speech
State Department officials accused by Republicans of blacklisting Americans and media outlets for reasons including speculating that the coronavirus is a biological weapon developed by China would be reauthorized under the bill. Become.
Musk previously described the Global Engagement Center (GEC) as “the worst offender in the U.S. government's censorship and media manipulation.”
“They are a threat to our democracy,” Musk wrote in a subsequent post.
Although the bill does not specify appropriations, the agency's fiscal year 2020 budget totaled $74.26 million, of which $60 million was appropriated by Congress, according to a previous inspector general report.
Other riders and handouts
The bill reauthorizes the Farm Bill for one year and provides $21 billion in disaster relief to farmers and an additional $10 billion in economic aid. Many conservatives say they don't necessarily oppose it, but believe they should vote independently and not as members of the CR.
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Other seemingly unrelated provisions are scattered throughout, including bills establishing data collection and reporting requirements for composting and recycling programs and bills regarding hotel rate transparency.
