House overcomes first hurdle for military spending bill despite threats from hard-line conservatives
Cami Mondeaux Reese Gorman
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The House managed to advance the rule on its annual military construction appropriations bill on Wednesday despite initial threats from hard-line conservatives to tank the legislation unless it met their list of demands.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act narrowly passed the House with a 217-206 vote, advancing largely along party lines to be considered on the floor for a full vote later in the evening. Despite traditionally receiving bipartisan support, the legislation advanced with no Democratic support due to a slew of controversial amendments proposed by GOP members. Only two Republicans voted against the measure: Reps. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) and John Rose (R-TN).
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The military appropriations bill typically passes without much drama or fervor, making it one of the easiest spending bills to pass out of Congress each year. However, that process was nearly uprooted earlier this week after members of the House Freedom Caucus threatened to withhold their support for the must-pass legislation unless GOP leadership made some crucial changes.
One of the top demands included a push to slash spending to fiscal 2022 levels, which would amount to roughly $115 billion.
“We want the ‘22 levels, and we want no rescissions,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), told reporters on Tuesday. “No smoke and mirrors for the American people. We want a budget that trims the fat, goes to programs that will defend and protect this country.”
In response to those demands, GOP leaders vowed a “robust amendment process” in order to get the legislation through the House before lawmakers adjourn for recess at the end of the week. The House Rules Committee approved 40 amendments to be considered as part of that deal, which lawmakers will debate later in the afternoon.
Several of those amendments, however, are responsible for the lack of Democratic support on the bill as they specifically seek to target what Republicans consider to be culture war issues.
The House is scheduled to reconvene and vote on the full legislation later in the evening. If passed, the bill will then head to the Senate, where it’s sure to be met with some opposition from Democrats.
Congress has until the end of September to pass its annual budget before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, or else lawmakers risk a government shutdown. Budget disagreements typically drag out as both parties fight to include their own priorities, with a final deal often not made until the eleventh hour after a marathon voting session.
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However, that process has been made even more complicated this year. Some Freedom Caucus members are already signaling opposition to the spending levels agreed to in the debt limit deal and threatening to vote against budget legislation unless spending levels are cut. Those sentiments are likely to put the House on a collision course with Senate Democrats, who are likely drafting budgets with a much larger number.
One source familiar said that there isn’t much consensus among the Freedom Caucus as to what their concerns and disagreements with the appropriations process actually are.