Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson is pointing fingers at the Senate for the sluggish pace of Congress, blaming Democrats for trying to overspend. The House has hit a roadblock in passing spending bills due to internal bickering, stalling the progress of important funding for the transportation and justice departments. This has escalated into a standoff over the overall spending number, which was previously agreed upon.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, is holding firm to the topline spending number of $1.59 trillion, a figure set by the debt ceiling deal orchestrated by President Biden and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He emphasized that the Senate is attempting to push spending well beyond this agreed-upon amount, flouting the law.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) blames the White House and the Senate for holding up aid to Ukraine and instead pushes for a bill that would implement harsher immigration policies:
“The Senate has been MIA on this. The House passed H.R. 2 … more than six months ago.” pic.twitter.com/JzzwKQkgS2
— The Recount (@therecount) December 12, 2023
As the deadlines for funding the government loom, the GOP-led House has managed to push through seven of the twelve necessary funding bills, while the Democrat-led Senate has only passed three. Johnson has made it clear that negotiations should commence on the bills that have successfully passed through both chambers.
This looming spending stalemate raises concerns about a potential government shutdown, with the added threat of an automatic 1% across-the-board cut if Congress fails to complete the spending work by April. Johnson remains resolute, expressing his reluctance to resort to another short-term stopgap and insisting on a full-year bill unless the Senate can swiftly agree on the overall spending number.
As tensions escalate, Johnson is eagerly awaiting a response from the other side, maintaining his stance on responsible spending and adherence to the agreed-upon limits.
