House GOP Must Hustle If They Want To Pass Long List Of Agenda Items Before August Recess
The House GOP will have to rush to enact key parts of its legislative agenda if it wants to pass them before the beginning of the August recess.
The House GOP will have to rush to enact key parts of its legislative agenda if it wants to pass them before the beginning of the August recess.
Republicans are moving to pass a third reconciliation bill, a stock trading ban, a continuing resolution (CR), defense and appropriations bills and more before their four-week long recess. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed optimism that the $95 billion reconciliation package can pass before the recess, though Senate Majority Leader John Thune responded with skepticism.
When Johnson said both chambers would get it through by the recess, Thune told reporters that was “news to me.” The package was expected to reach the House in the coming days, though it is unclear when the Senate would hold a vote.
The package would first be sent to the Senate Budget Committee, though its chairman, the late Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, passed away Saturday. Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson was expected to be the next chairman, though there has been no formal announcement. The committee’s sudden change in leadership may delay the Senate’s passage of the package.
The package includes $10 billion for the House Administration Committee to hand out grants to implement the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, $72 billion for the House Armed Services Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to address the Iran war and $12 billion to aid struggling farmers. No spending cuts were included.
Some senators expressed frustration that the package does not address affordability concerns, according to Punchbowl. Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis threatened to stall the SAVE America Act if it reached the Senate, which could threaten the legislation’s passage if components of the SAVE America Act remained in the package.
Both chambers are behind on passing their 12 required government funding bills by the Sept. 30 deadline.
House Republicans are working to pass a CR to temporarily fund the government through the November midterm elections, which could reach the floor in the coming days. Republicans could face complications passing any funding bill, as some GOP lawmakers demanded the SAVE America Act be attached to every appropriations bill.