Congress on Sunday unveiled the first six spending bills to fund the government for most of 2024.
The introduction of the spending bill comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and other congressional leaders struck a deal to avert a government shutdown and fund the government through most of 2024. This follows.
The six spending bills are fund Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of Commerce, and Department of Energy. The bipartisan package is 1,050 pages long and includes more than $450 billion in funding for fiscal year 2024.
Both chambers must pass the bill by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown. Six other spending bills are still being drafted and must be passed by March 22nd. Republicans and Democrats have struggled to compromise on sensitive issues, especially the Pentagon budget, health care programs and education.
Conservatives have accused Mr. Johnson of having little success in negotiations with Democrats, and he is under pressure to show victory for Republicans.
he Said In a statement, Republicans said Biden’s policies “secured important conservative policy victories, rejected proposals from the left, and imposed deep cuts to critical agencies and programs.”
politiko report:
Touting the funding package on Sunday, Johnson pointed to language that would prevent the Justice Department from targeting parents who speak at school board meetings. He also cited policies that preserve gun rights for veterans who require fiduciary assistance with VA benefits. The Senate adopted these protections as amendments last fall, but Democrats opposed including them in the final package.
If Democrats win, the final deal would provide $7 billion to the WIC Nutrition Assistance Program for mothers and infants, an increase of $1 billion from current levels. The package does not include a proposal pushed by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) to create a voluntary pilot program to limit SNAP food assistance purchases, but Republicans believe WIC It was offering the program in exchange for an additional $1 billion it was seeking. The program is facing funding shortages and will be forced to deny assistance to some eligible families.
Republicans are pushing for cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and the FBI.
But the bill has a 605-page plan, one of many essential bills hated by conservatives.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said one goal would provide $1 million to the Center for Environmental Justice in New York City.
🚨 Breaking news: @SenSchumer We have released the text of the first six spending bills that will be voted on this week. This includes 605 pages of earmarks.
Is this an example? Schumer asks for $1 million to build a new environmental justice center in New York City…
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) March 3, 2024
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was popular The bill does not include a “cut or poison special clause.”
House Republican leadership will likely have to advance the pending bill, which would require the bill to pass a two-thirds threshold, giving conservatives more leverage to oppose the bill and outnumbering Republican votes. It is also possible that there will be more Democratic votes.
“The reality is that if you have to go through these things by suspension, you’re a giver.” [Democrats] More strength,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho).
He added: “I can’t tell you how many times during negotiations I heard from the other side, ‘Hey, we’re going to bring 200 votes to pass this with a moratorium, what are we going to bring?’ ” he added.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter at Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
