Rep. Rosa Delauro (D-Conn.), a top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, condemned the new House Republican's six-month suspension funding bill, claiming it was a “blank check” for the tech billionaire and close relatives of Trump adviser Elon Musk.
“I strongly oppose the continuing resolution this year, which will gain power in the White House and allow unidentified billionaires Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people,” Delauro said in a statement Saturday shortly after the ongoing resolution (CR) was released.
“By essentially closing my book on negotiating a year-round fundraising bill that supports the middle class and protects our national security, my colleague on the other side of the aisle has given power to an unelected billionaire,” the Connecticut Democrat added.
The 99-page suspension law to avoid the midnight shutdown deadline on Friday will increase defense spending and reduce funding for non-disabled programs.
House Republicans said defense spending would increase by about $6 billion at the 2024 level. Additionally, veterans' healthcare and housing funding will increase with funding from the WIC program. The non-defense program would see approximately $13 billion in funding if the current version of CR is adopted.
Delauro, who told reporters at Capitol Hill earlier this week that the one-year CR was absent, accused him of leading six major companies that “steal” from middle-class Americans, veterans, seniors, small businesses and farmers, for supplying tax revenues to large corporations and billionaires.
House Democrats on Saturday pointed out that they would cut government spending, hamper the federal workforce, shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, shut down future plans and confirm that Veterans (VA) secretary Doug Collins will terminate roughly 72,000 jobs in the department.
“They have made it difficult for Americans to get Social Security benefits. They have shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which saved US families $21 billion. They are reportedly planning to fire 6,000 veterans and make it difficult for veterans to access benefits by firing an additional 80,000 VA employees,” Delauro said.
Top Budget House Democrats also referenced the firing of hundreds of workers tasked with overseeing the country's nuclear weapons. The administration then sought to rehire employees after a significant backlash.
Delauro concluded that House Republicans are giving “blank checks to Elon Musk.” He has played a leading role in efforts to reduce government spending through government efficiency (DOGE).
