The Republican-led Home of Representatives is again in session, simply in time to push a short-term spending invoice that ties six months of presidency funding to racist laws that might require proof of citizenship for folks registering to vote. Led by Speaker Mike Johnson, the spending proposal is the GOP’s newest try to make use of the specter of a authorities shutdown to attain political factors with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The Home Freedom Caucus is pushing the stopgap invoice within the hopes that Trump wins in November and Republicans develop their Home majority, enabling them to go steep spending cuts and more and more excessive laws with the assist of a brand new administration. For his half, Trump has overtly inspired Republicans to close the federal government down if the newest spending invoice doesn’t embrace the proof-of-citizenship provision.
Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries referred to as the proposal “unserious and unacceptable” in a letter to his Democratic colleagues and made it clear that it’s a politically motivated stunt.
“In order to avert a GOP-driven government shutdown that will hurt everyday Americans, Congress must pass a short-term continuing resolution that will permit us to complete the appropriations process during this calendar year and is free of partisan policy changes inspired by Trump’s Project 2025,” Jeffries stated, referring to the extremist authorities blueprint that was engineered by greater than 100 of Trump’s minions.
Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer seconded Jeffries’ sentiment in a “Dear Colleague” letter on Sunday.
“Despite Republican bluster, that is how we’ve handled every funding bill in the past, and this time should be no exception,” Schumer wrote. “We will not let poison pills or Republican extremism put funding for critical programs at risk.”
To that finish, Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin despatched a letter to the chairs and rating members of the Home and Senate Appropriations Committees warning that additional uncertainty round budgets may impair our navy.
“These actions subject Service members and their families to unnecessary stress, empower our adversaries, misalign billions of dollars, damage our readiness, and impede our ability to react to emergent events,” Austin stated.
Johnson doesn’t have room for a lot political theater. His skinny Home majority is additional weakened by extremists like Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who voiced his dissent on social media and vowed to vote in opposition to the proposed spending invoice.
“I’m voting Hell No on the ‘Continuing Appropriations and Other Matter Act’ this week,” Massie wrote. “I don’t care which bright shiny object is attached to it, or which fake fight we start and won’t finish. Congress is spending our country into oblivion, and this bill doesn’t cut spending.”
Very similar to the voter ID legal guidelines pushed by conservatives, requiring proof of citizenship for newly registered voters guarantees to repair issues that do not exist. These legal guidelines are a shameless try to disenfranchise voters of coloration and weaken democracy.
