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House GOP Unveil $95B Plan for War, Aid07/16 06:06
House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95 billion legislative plan
focused on boosting defense, aiding farmers and enacting stricter voter
registration rules, a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut bill that
President Donald Trump signed into law last year.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95 billion
legislative plan focused on boosting defense, aiding farmers and enacting
stricter voter registration rules, a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut
bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last year.
The 47-page outline, called a budget resolution, is a long-shot undertaking
designed to supplement Pentagon funding for the Iran war and address Trump's
top priority of changing voter registration requirements. A more ambitious
effort was narrowed to address concerns from some conservatives about adding to
the deficit. The plan does not seek any offsets to pay for the new spending.
House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed ahead after meeting with Trump at the
White House this week in what will be the Republicans' calling card to voters
this fall heading into the midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.
"Safeguarding American elections and strengthening our national defense are
the most basic responsibilities of Congress," Johnson said in a statement.
Johnson welcomed the chance to again use a legislative process that would
allow Republicans to overpower Democratic objections and eventually approve
legislation on a party-line vote, saying the Democrats won't be able to block
the GOP's priorities "any longer."
Democrats, however, have argued against the sharply partisan path,
particularly for matters of war funding.
The Budget Committee is expected to consider the outline Thursday, ahead of
floor action in the House next week.
Billions of dollars for the Iran war
The bulk of the $95 billion that Republicans will seek would go for the
U.S.-led war against Iran, reflecting the White House's request for
supplemental spending to rebuild stockpiles and fund classified programs.
The resolution calls for the House Armed Services Committee to craft
legislation that will not increase deficits through 2036 by more than $60
billion; the Select Committee on Intelligence, $13 billion; the Agriculture
Committee, $12 billion; and the House Administration Committee, $10 billion.
The latter funding would be focused on enacting aspects of an election law
overhaul that requires those registering to vote to provide proof of
citizenship and is a top Trump priority. Republicans have said their focus is
on enhancing election integrity, but Democrats say it's about suppressing voter
turnout, particularly among married women, seniors and minorities who don't
have ready access to the documents they would need to present when registering
to vote.
Overall, the plan for defense spending is on par with a request the White
House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months.
But it falls far short of the $350 billion increase the White House proposed
earlier this year to boost defense resources.
Approving extra war funding will be difficult, even among Republicans
supporting the Iran effort, as the nation confronts staggering annual deficits
reaching nearly $2 trillion this year.
Trump pushes Congress for voting law changes
Both the House and the Senate would have to pass the same budget resolution
to launch the crafting of the party-line bill, which is politically difficult
in a Congress where Republicans hold a narrow majority.
Along with the war funds, the package Republicans are pursuing would include
$10 billion for the GOP's effort to impose strict proof of citizenship
requirements in line with provisions of the SAVE America Act, which has been a
top Trump priority.
Trump has insisted that Republicans approve the elections overhaul bill,
which has passed the House but does not have the votes to overcome the 60-vote
threshold in the Senate. So Republicans are looking to get parts of it through
the arduous reconciliation process that allows both chambers to pass a bill
with a simple majority.
Overall, passage of the package would be a lengthy process, with much of the
action taking place after lawmakers return from their August recess and during
the heart of election season. Johnson told reporters his goal is for both
chambers to pass the budget framework before lawmakers leave Washington for the
August recess.
Vice President JD Vance met with House Republicans in the afternoon, saying
he wanted to give them a message of unity. He said they've accomplished a lot,
but needed to stick together to get "one very big thing" done.
"We've got a good piece of legislation to support the troops, support the
farmers and get SAVE America Act passed," Vance said.
Democrats mount opposition to the GOP package
The additional aid for farmers dealing with higher gas and fertilizer prices
has become an election year priority for many lawmakers with rural
constituencies.
But even the addition of farm aid is unlikely to be an incentive for
Democrats to lend support for what is essentially a Republican-only bill.
Democrats are expected to overwhelmingly oppose whatever final product emerges
and force Republicans to take votes on scores of difficult amendments.
Rep. Brendan Boyle, the lead Democratic lawmaker on the House Budget
Committee, said the GOP's budget plan would lead to tens of billions of dollars
in additional debt to fund what he called the most unpopular war in American
history.
"I'm going to fight like hell to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used
to lower costs and make life better for American families, not to bankroll
Trump's giveaways to billionaires and endless wars overseas," Boyle said.
Johnson, of Louisiana, applauded Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington,
R-Texas, and others on the panel for moving swiftly to tee up the resolution
and unlock what would be Republicans' third reconciliation bill this Congress.
Trump's big tax breaks bill last year and the Homeland Security funding bill
this year both passed largely along party lines.
Arrington said several factors contributed to the decision not to offset
some of the new spending Republicans will seek. First, the Trump
administration's call for more defense spending was winnowed to just meeting
replenishment needs during a time of war. Second, he was concerned that some of
the savings generated in last year's party line bill could be relitigated and
stripped out if the Senate Finance Committee had been instructed to find
offsets.
Republicans could have tried to work with Democrats to pass more defense
spending through the regular budgeting process or through an emergency spending
bill, but that would require bipartisan support to get through the Senate. And
Democrats likely would have sought commensurate spending increases for
non-defense priorities.
"There's no doubt that Democrats would exact a big price," Arrington said.
"... We avoided that, so I would say in this moment, with this scenario, that's
a win."
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