GOP’s Spending Proposal Undermines Bipartisan Agreement Between Biden and McCarthy

Republican negotiators are proposing government spending bills for 2025 that adhere to the spending caps established in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 while challenging agreements made by President Joe Biden’s White House and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, according to House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.

Under the GOP proposal, defense programs are allocated $895 billion and nondefense programs are allocated $710.7 billion, with a total of $1.6 trillion as the top line for the annual funding bills, as reported by The Hill.

Cole stated that these figures align with the spending caps outlined in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which established spending limits for 2024 under the agreement to suspend the nation’s debt limit and avoid default.

However, the deal also includes changes from the White House that would increase funding in the nondefense portion of the law by reallocating billions of dollars from IRS funding.

Democrats are advocating for the existing deal to remain in place, arguing that nondefense programs need protection from significant cuts. On the other hand, conservative members are criticizing the deal for not effectively controlling government spending.

Cole emphasized that the planned bills “will reflect our commitment to strengthening our national defense, supporting the safety and security of the American people, and reining in government to its core mission.”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, urged Republicans to reconsider the funding levels they proposed and increase nondefense and defense funding by at least one percent, as agreed almost a year ago.

House Republicans are accused of leaving at least $75 billion in investments on the table and following a similar process as seen last year. DeLauro criticized Republicans for being “held hostage by their most extreme members” and failing to pass their own funding bills.

The latest figures released by House Republicans indicate a 6% cut in nondefense funding. Additionally, departments such as Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, financial services, and general government are facing “significant cuts” of about 10-11%.

The Appropriations Committee aims to pass all 12 spending bills before the August recess. Cole announced that there will be two full committee markup sessions next week to discuss subcommittee allocations and funding for military and veterans programs.

Government funding is scheduled to expire in late September.