As hard-line conservatives threaten to derail funding negotiations unless severe spending cuts are made, vulnerable Republicans are urging their colleagues to help pass legislation swiftly and avoid a possible government shutdown.
Congress has until the end of September to pass its annual budget before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. If it does not, the government must shut down until an agreement is made and signed by the president. Budget disagreements typically drag out as both parties fight to include their own priorities, with a final deal often not made until the 11th hour after a marathon voting session.
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The debt ceiling deal brokered by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden earlier this year lays out the parameters for these negotiations, giving lawmakers a $31.4 trillion spending cap to work with. The deal requires Congress to allocate that money in 12 regular funding bills that must be passed by the end of this year to avoid a government shutdown — otherwise, spending caps will be applied across the board.
“We’re moving bills out of committee. I feel optimistic that we’ll be able to get the job done and move forward,” Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) told the Washington Examiner. “But to sit here and say that everything’s gonna go smoothly and perfectly — I mean, we all know the majority is a tight majority. We’re going to need everyone on board, and it’s going to be a process to get there.”
Several hard-line conservatives expressed deep frustration with McCarthy’s debt ceiling agreement, arguing the speaker compromised to make a deal. Members of the House Freedom Caucus revolted against GOP leadership earlier this month by refusing to move legislation to the floor until new promises were made.
McCarthy was later able to quash intraparty dissension, with Republicans agreeing to continue with legislative business just one week later. However, the revolt showed just how much power the Right flank has over House business — raising concerns those same hardliners will complicate the budgetary process.
Some Freedom Caucus members are already signaling opposition to the spending levels agreed to in the debt limit deal, hinting they won’t vote to advance budget legislation unless spending levels are cut.
“Unfortunately, the debt ceiling deal was another swamp deal … for very little changes, basically a two-year freeze in spending,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), policy chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told KSEV Radio. “So we’re having ongoing fights and debates right now within the Republican Party about what we do in the appropriations fight.”
Roy said members should be uninterested in providing increased government funding until key matters are addressed, such as illegal immigration or the so-called “weaponization” of the federal government. Until such changes are made, the Texas Republican noted HFC members would use the “power of the purse” to force movement.
“Unfortunately, we have too many Republicans who are willing to, at the last minute, cut a deal and back down at some point. I’m unwilling to do that,” Roy said. “Why should I vote for any funding of government while my state, the people that I represent, are being attacked, assaulted [and] put in danger?”
However, for vulnerable Republicans running in districts that typically lean toward Democrats, such a hard stance may not be feasible.
“When I go home and I’m talking to my district, I’m in a district where I have to talk to everyone. I have Democrats, Republicans, independents,” said Valadao, who represents a D+5 district that is considered to be one of the most competitive races next year. “All of these guys, they win their elections by solely talking to their base — and that goes for both Republicans and Democrats.”
Instead, Valadao noted how crucial it is for lawmakers to come to the table and negotiate — arguing the only way to get things done is to reach across the aisle.
“Everything we do, obviously, is to show the American people we can do the jobs they elected us to do. I don’t want to say we all do it for election purposes, because I think that’s inaccurate,” he said. “I think it’s a little bit harder for them to do that. I think it makes it a little bit easier for us in more moderate-type seats, for the middle-of-the-road type seats, [to negotiate] because we have to do it to win our elections. So why don’t we just continue with what we ran on?”
Meanwhile, some Republicans have expressed confidence they can avoid a government shutdown — arguing the problem does not lie within the House but rather among Senate Democrats.
“The focus is often on House Republicans, but the Senate Democrats have not been able to move very much legislation at all,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who is running in a toss-up district after flipping the seat in favor of Republicans last year. “Government shutdown is not an option here. So if we need to have a continuing resolution, that’s something that would be on the table. But the objective, of course, is to get these bills passed in a timely manner.”
That could be easier said than done after House appropriators announced they would propose bills that adhere to 2022 spending levels that meet the tight budget caps initially sought by Freedom Caucus members — putting the House on a collision course with Senate Democrats who are likely drafting budgets with a much larger topline number.
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The conflicting budget proposals could force Republicans and Democrats back to the negotiating table, although it remains unclear if either side will budge. When asked if there were any areas House Republicans would be willing to move on, Lawler said those discussions were premature.
“When you have a divided government you have to find compromise, but that’s good. That process will play itself out. There’s nothing to predetermine,” Lawler said. “We’re gonna go through the appropriations process to continue to rein in government spending, and right-size our economy and put forth appropriations bills that take a more balanced and reasoned approach to governance.”
