House Republicans Announce Deal to Temporarily Fund Government, Uncertainty Remains
In a bid to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month, a group of six House Republicans have announced a temporary funding deal. However, it remains unclear whether the proposal will be able to unite their fractured conference and pass through the Senate.
The deal, known as a continuing resolution, would fund the government until October 31 and trigger a one percent cut to current fiscal levels. This cut would be an average for the budget, with the Defense Department and Veterans Affairs exempted, while the rest of the government would face an immediate 8 percent cut until the end of October.
The aim of this proposal is to gain support from hard-right lawmakers who have been demanding significant spending cuts for a short-term funding extension.
Additionally, the continuing resolution would include a border security bill that was previously passed by House Republicans, except for a divisive policy on E-Verify work requirements. The deal also includes provisions on the border that will be added to the Homeland Security appropriations bill, with the hope of obtaining concessions from the Senate during negotiations on funding the government for the full fiscal year.
This announcement marks a significant but small step for the House Republican conference, which had descended into chaos last week after failing to gather enough votes for a Defense Department funding bill or a temporary funding solution.
While those involved in the deal are confident that it will receive the necessary 218 Republican votes to pass, there are concerns that some of the conservative demands included in the proposal will be rejected by the Senate. This could potentially lead to a showdown between the two chambers with less than two weeks to prevent a partial government shutdown.
It is worth noting that the proposal was not negotiated by leadership. Instead, six House Republican members from different ideological factions came together to hash out the parameters of the agreement. Negotiations continued for several days, with all five ideological groups in the conference eventually buying into the plan.
Despite the expected support from conservatives, Republican leaders are now faced with the challenge of ensuring the bill passes through their narrow majority. Given the conservative provisions included in the proposal, it is unlikely that Democrats will offer their support.
The first hurdle for leaders will be a vote on the procedural rule that sets parameters for debating the bill on the floor. Members of the Freedom Caucus and lawmakers opposed to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have previously threatened to vote against the rule, which traditionally only passes with the majority party’s votes.
The House Republican conference started the year with only five votes to spare, but that number has now dwindled to four with the recent retirement of Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah). Furthermore, a few other Republicans are currently battling illnesses, and two more are on parental leave, further complicating the vote tally.
As the clock ticks down, it remains to be seen whether the House Republicans can rally their conference and avoid a government shutdown. The coming days will test their ability to navigate internal divisions and garner support to keep the government funded.