In order to prevent the Democrats from passing a new spending package during the “lame duck” session prior to the next Congress, conservative Republicans in the House and Senate have urged their fellow Republicans to oppose any government financing agreement.
Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote “Dear Colleague” letters on Monday urging them to reject anything other than a “clean” continuing resolution to provide government funding from the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 through Jan. 3, 2023, when the next Congress will convene following the Nov. elections. The letters were signed by 14 Senate Republicans and 42 House Republicans, respectively.
As Congress gets ready to pass a budget measure to prevent a govt shutdown at the end of the month, the letters are being sent out. The current Democratic congress may have one more chance to draft a spending package financing President Joe Biden’s goals before Republicans can take control of either the House or Senate or even both on Jan. 3, 2023, if lawmakers adopt a funding bill that expires before that date.
Republicans shouldn’t give Democrats that chance, according to conservatives.
“Federal funds support the radical agenda of the Biden administration and feed inflation that is out of control. This includes promoting self-destructive climate policies, empowering authoritarian bureaucrats at organizations like the IRS and FBI, incorporating open-border policies that are endangering our towns, enforcing COVID-19 mandates that force our military service members out of their jobs, and closing schools” Republicans in the House wrote.
“Republicans must take the necessary steps to assure that not one single penny will be spent on this administration’s extreme, inflationary agenda as the Sept 30th federal budget deadline draws near. Any bill that causes a “lame duck” battle over government financing provides Democrats one last chance to pass their agenda,” They went on to say that they would oppose any continuing resolution that the Democratic majority would introduce prior to the next Congress.
Similar recommendations are made in the Senate letter, which urges Senate Republicans to oppose “anything short of a ‘clean’ Continuing Resolution (‘CR’) that includes no additional expenditure or superfluous policy riders.”
“Republicans in the Senate warned that giving in to Democrats and not opposing lame-duck expenditures will certainly raise inflation, prolong the current economic downturn, and advance the progressive agenda of the Biden administration.”
“Another feeding frenzy in Washington is beyond the means of the American people. We cannot disappoint them.”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the Senate Republican Conference and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) of the National Republican Senatorial Committee both signed the letter.
The head of the Republican Study Committee, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and many members of the House Freedom Caucus all signed the letter.
