Staff Reports
The House of Representatives is in a tough spot right now because of a stopgap spending bill that could lead to a partial shutdown of the government. But the Republican Study Committee, the biggest group of conservatives in the House, may have found a way out. The committee, which has more than three-quarters of the GOP members in the House, has put forward an amendment to the continuing resolution that aims to lower overall spending levels in order to get more support for the bill.
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The change, which was first suggested by Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, who is the caucus chair, could help the struggling bill. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pulled the bill from a procedural vote on Tuesday because 18 right lawmakers were likely to vote against it as it was. McCarthy is still eager to keep the government from shutting down, and he has promised not to give up on the cause.
Even though the suggested amendment could be a game-changer for the House, it is not likely to pass in the Senate, which is mostly made up of Democrats. Some politicians, like Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, who supports the amendment and sees Hern as a successful businessman who knows how important it is to balance the budget, might change their minds, though.
The amendment from the Republican Study Committee also adds the Secure the Border Act to the continuing resolution. This is in addition to the spending cap that the amendment suggests. This act was proposed by members of the Freedom Caucus and the moderate Republican Main Street Caucus. For the Freedom Caucus to back the resolution, it was a must-have item on their list.
Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who was part of the team that negotiated the continuing resolution, said that he liked Hern's change. He said that politicians should not just talk a lot and pay attention to the media, but should also focus on getting things done. Time is of the importance as the House tries to find a solution, and Donalds hopes that progress can be made before the end of the month.
Even though it will be hard to pass in the Senate, the Republican Study Committee's amendment gives the House lawmakers hope as they try to keep the government from shutting down and move forward with their legislative goals. As talks and debates continue and lawmakers try to find common ground and real answers, the next few weeks will be very important. Keep an eye out for news about this ongoing problem.
