House Republican leaders are considering a new plan to fund the government that would combine the planned 12 appropriations bills into two or three separate packages, according to senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram. This move appears to backtrack on a previous vow to hold floor votes on each bill individually. The previous Democrat-led Congress was criticized by conservatives for funding the government through a single massive “omnibus” bill, which they argue leads to more federal spending and reduces the voice of rank-and-file members. However, with the impending deadlines for two partial government shutdowns, GOP leaders are now considering turning the 12 bills into a series of “minibus” spending packages.
Majority Whip Tom Emmer confirmed that passing minibuses is “on the table” and blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for not working with the House on its individual spending bills. He stated that “all options are on the table, including minibus appropriations bills” due to the Senate’s inability to pass individual appropriations bills and the tight timeline they are working with. Speaker Mike Johnson came up with the idea to separate the deadlines to avoid a single omnibus bill.
The current government funding expires on two deadlines, with some agencies and offices running out of money on March 1 and others on March 8. Johnson had previously stated that the House was committed to bringing all 12 bills to the floor, but now GOP lawmakers and senior aides are considering at least two minibuses to secure government funding.
While conservatives have aimed to vote on the 12 bills separately, it is not a priority for Democrats, whose votes House GOP leaders will need to pass anything in a divided Congress. The negotiations are focused on securing the votes of both Republicans and Democrats, with less concern about voting on all 12 bills separately.
The idea of passing minibuses instead of separate bills has sparked criticism among some GOP lawmakers. They argue that it would be a failure for Republicans who promised to handle government funding in a fiscally responsible manner and pass each of the 12 appropriations bills. They view advancing minibuses or an omnibus bill as a failure to fulfill their promise to the American people.
Overall, the decision to move away from separate votes on each appropriations bill in favor of minibuses reflects the challenges of navigating a divided Congress and the urgent need to secure government funding before the impending deadlines. Critics argue that this approach may result in increased federal spending and reduced transparency, while supporters argue that it is a practical solution given the current political landscape.
