W
ASHINGTON — On Saturday, House Republicans unveiled a new spending bill designed to fund federal agencies until September 30. This action reflects a unilateral strategy that is poised to create a significant standoff with Democrats over government spending priorities.

Covering 99 pages, the bill suggests a slight increase in defense spending while proposing cuts to nondefense funding, falling below the 2024 budget targets. This initiative is likely to encounter fierce resistance from the majority of Democrats, who have long championed increases in both defense and nondefense budgets.

Congress has until midnight Friday to take action to avert a partial government shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is set to bring the bill to a vote on Tuesday, despite a lack of support from Democrats, effectively daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown. He is banking on Republican votes to pass the legislation largely without Democratic backing.

Traditionally, Republicans have needed to work with Democrats to keep the government running, often due to their inability to secure enough votes on their own for spending measures.

Notably, this tactic has received support from former President Donald Trump, who has shown a knack for maintaining party cohesion during his time in office.

Trump praised the bill on social media platform X, urging Republicans to “stay UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”

“Great things are on the horizon for America, and I am asking everyone to give us a few months to navigate through to September so we can continue putting the country’s financial house in order,” he remarked.

According to House Republican leadership, the bill will allocate roughly $892.5 billion for defense and about $708 billion for nondefense expenditures. While defense funding sees a minor bump from last year, nondefense spending is expected to decrease by approximately $13 billion.

Furthermore, the bill excludes funding for specific projects proposed by lawmakers, commonly referred to as earmarks.

It’s crucial to highlight that the bill does not encompass most government expenditures, including mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicare, which operate independently of regular congressional oversight.

Top Democrats from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, both voiced strong disapproval of the proposed legislation.

“I cannot support this full-year continuing resolution,” DeLauro stated emphatically.

Murray remarked that the bill would “empower Donald Trump and Elon Musk over federal spending, effectively allowing them to pick winners and losers, which threatens families in both blue and red states.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stressed the importance of avoiding a shutdown, emphasizing the extensive negative effects such closures have on government operations.

“Shutdowns require essential government personnel, including Border Patrol agents, military members, Coast Guard personnel, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to work without knowing when they’ll receive their next paycheck,” Collins noted. “We cannot let that occur.”

Trump’s call for party solidarity appears to be resonating. Some conservatives, who typically oppose continuing resolutions, are now showing support for this approach.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who has historically opposed continuing resolutions, is now backing Johnson’s plan. He expresses trust in Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, to positively shape the country’s fiscal landscape.

“I’m not in favor of CRs,” Norman declared, “but what’s the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? Absolutely not.”

“Freezing spending for six months to find additional cuts? Convince me that isn’t a win in Washington,” added Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, another lawmaker who has often opposed spending bills but supports the six-month continuing resolution.

Republicans are optimistic that resolving this year’s spending issues will allow them to concentrate fully on extending the individual tax cuts implemented during Trump’s first term and raising the debt ceiling to avoid a potential federal default.

Democratic leaders caution that moving forward without their involvement increases the risk of a shutdown. A significant concern is the flexibility the legislation would grant the Trump administration concerning spending decisions.

Leaders from both the House and Senate have emphasized that since Republicans hold the majority, the responsibility for funding the government rests with them. However, they have been careful about revealing how their members might vote on a continuing resolution.

“We need to understand what their plan entails,” stated Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “We have always believed that a bipartisan resolution is the only feasible solution.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York mentioned earlier this week that the Democratic caucus would meet to discuss the legislation at the “appropriate time.” However, he took a firmer stance on Friday.

Jeffries expressed that Democrats are ready to negotiate a “meaningful, bipartisan spending agreement that prioritizes working families.” However, he warned that the “partisan continuing resolution” could endanger critical funding for programs like veterans’ benefits and nutritional assistance for low-income families.