Senate Vote on Budget Bill Puts Upper Chamber on a Collision Course With House Republicans

Putting itself at odds with the House’s spending plans, the Senate Appropriations Committee has added $13.7 billion to the spending limits agreed on in the debt ceiling deal in its markup of its plan for next year’s budget.The chairwoman of the committee, Senator Murray, struck an agreement with the vice chairwoman, Senator Collins, adding $8 billion in defense spending and $5.7 billion in non-defense spending.“Members on both sides of the aisle — on and off committee — have voiced serious, bipartisan concerns about the cuts in the debt ceiling deal to vital non-defense programs and the caps it imposes on defense spending,” Ms. Murray said in a statement. “We have agreed to make use of additional emergency appropriations — just as we do every year and is fully allowed under the debt ceiling deal.”This deal in the Senate puts the higher chamber on a collision course with House Republicans, who are aiming to cut $119 billion from the budget in addition to cuts made in the debt ceiling deal, meaning there is about a $133 billion difference between the two spending plans.“Because of years of out-of-control spending, it has been and will continue to be my priority to pass conservative bills that focus our limited resources on the core responsibilities of the federal government, including national defense, our veterans, and our border,” House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger said in a statement.The two legislative bodies will need to reconcile the differences between their two plans before the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30.Another provision of the debt ceiling deal also stipulates that, if lawmakers fail to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills ahead of January 1, 2024, there will be a one percent across-the-board cut to the budget.This once again puts Speaker McCarthy at odds with members of his own party. He will need to balance the interests of vulnerable House Republicans and the influential House Freedom Caucus while negotiating with members of the Senate.It’s clear that, in negotiations with the Senate, Mr. McCarthy will be working with a bipartisan group of Senators that support higher spending caps.Politico reports that the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker, has been blocking the transfer of nuclear submarines to Australia, demanding the executive branch request additional funding for the Pentagon. Punchbowl News reports that Senator Collins, the top Appropriations Committee Republican, is pleased with the higher spending caps, and she has indicated that she’s not alone.“Many of us have been very concerned that defense was under-funded [in the debt-limit bill], and that it was really important that we start in the appropriations process to remedy the problem,” Ms. Collins said.Although members in both the House and the Senate appear confident that they will reconcile their differences on spending ahead of September 30, it’s clear that at least one of these bills is going to have to change.Whether Mr. McCarthy pushes to meet the Senate at the higher spending levels, which are closer to the levels he negotiated with President Biden, or he pushes for concessions from the Senate, he will, as with every action he’s taken so far this Congress, need to appease his members or face the risk of being ousted from his speakership.

Senate Vote on Budget Bill Puts Upper Chamber on a Collision Course With House Republicans

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