US House Republicans overcome hurdle on first 2024 spending bill
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[July 27, 2023]
By David Morgan and Katharine Jackson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled U.S. House of
Representatives began debating the first of 12 fiscal 2024 spending
bills on Wednesday, as lawmakers edged toward a looming showdown with
the Democratic-led Senate that could trigger a government shutdown this
autumn.
The House voted 217-206, roughly along party lines, to adopt a measure
that opened debate on a military construction and veterans affairs
appropriations bill, amid signs that Republican leaders were near an
agreement with hardline conservatives who have demanded cuts that would
leave next year's overall spending at a fiscal 2022 level of $1.47
trillion.
Hardline conservatives, including members of the House Freedom Caucus,
warned Republican leaders this week that they would not support
appropriations bills without assurances on spending.
Freedom Caucus member Andy Ogles told Reuters that the two sides were
trying to finalize such a deal.
"It's a work in progress. Nothing's finalized. But I'm cautiously
optimistic," Ogles said without providing details.
"Part of that process is how do you get assurances that will actually
achieve that number," the Republican added.
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McCarthy's office was not immediately available for comment.
The House is expected to vote on passage of the military construction
bill later this week and could turn as early as Thursday to a second
appropriations bill, which would fund agriculture programs, rural
development initiatives and the Food and Drug Administration.
The agriculture bill could face resistance from more moderate Republican
lawmakers, including some who oppose its restrictions on abortion
services.
Representative Don Bacon said the legislation could also lose support
from the center if last-minute changes led to further cuts in spending.
"If these guys keep pushing for more cuts, it may be in jeopardy," the
Republican said.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other Republican leaders hope this
week's votes will give them the upper hand against the Democratic-led
Senate. Each chamber is expected to pass its own spending legislation
and then try to hammer out compromise bills that can be sent to
Democratic President Joe Biden.
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Lawmakers have until the current fiscal year expires on Sept. 30 to
fund the government or risk a partial government shutdown.
But with hardliners pushing for lower spending, the House and Senate
are at least $120 billion apart, with Senate appropriators aiming at
the $1.59 trillion in fiscal 2024 discretionary spending agreed by
McCarthy and Biden in June.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said negotiations between the
two chambers could begin during the annual August recess in an
effort to move them toward agreement in September.
Biden on Monday vowed to veto the House Republican spending bills if
they make it to his desk, saying they backed away from the deal.
The military and veterans bill would provide $155.7 billion in
discretionary spending for military construction and veterans
affairs. The health and agriculture bill would provide $25.3
billion, but that includes about $7.5 billion moved from Democratic
programs.
Democrats rejected the military construction bill, saying it would
slash important programs and impose "a kitchen sink of culture wars"
on the military and veterans.
"It would prohibit training that helps people from different
backgrounds work together, that addresses the inequalities that
still exist in our military. It would allow homophobia to run
rampant," said Democratic Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez.
(Reporting by David Morgan and Katharine Jackson; editing by Susan
Heavey, Bill Berkrot and Jonathan Oatis)
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