House Republican Leadership Whips Against Stop-Gap Spending Bill

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) announced on Tuesday night that GOP leadership would whip against a stop-gap spending bill, saying that it fails to address any of the crises unfolding under President Joe Biden’s watch.

Scalise’s team just informed all House Republican offices, “Leadership recommends a NO vote.”

House Republican leadership announced the whip notice against a stop-gap spending bill, or a continuing resolution (CR), as the Senate just voted to advance the bill on Tuesday night.

The CR would fund the government through December 16.

Scalise’s team said that Democrats refused to negotiate with House Republicans on the CR, and that the stop-gap bill does not solve the many crises facing the nation.

The whip notice explained:

While spending the last several months ramming through legislation that increases taxes and spends billions – causing crippling inflation and a recession – Democrats in Washington have failed to address the most basic duty of funding the government. The Majority has refused to negotiate with Ranking Member Granger or any other House Republican leader on pressing issues relating to our government funding priorities, including runaway inflation, the supply chain crisis, the border crisis, or the opioid deaths associated with drugs like fentanyl coming across our open southern border, and have instead decided to kick the can to December, setting up another government funding showdown during the unaccountable lame duck period.

Scalise’s team also said that the CR contains funding that would enable more illegal immigration while the nation faces a historic number of migrants crossing the border:

• Includes $1.8 billion for Refugee and Entrant money to fund more migrants illegally crossing the border, yet provides no additional money for border security or our Customs and Border Protection officers.
• Just one month after passing the reckless “heat your home tax” that was signed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats now want to subsidize their numerous energy policy failures by giving away another billion dollars to the very people they raised taxes on.
• Funds the government only through December 16th, setting up yet another shutdown showdown.

Along with these provisions, the bill would provide:

• $12.3 billion in economic and military aid to Ukraine
• $1 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
• $2.5 billion in funding for New Mexico to recover from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire
• $20 million for water infrastructure in Jackson, Mississippi
• a five-year reauthorization of FDA user fees
• $3 billion for the State Department to facilitate Afghan resettlement, and the FBI would receive $15 million to vet Afghan refugees
• $35 million to prepare and respond to “potential and radiological incidents in Ukraine”

The Senate will continue will pass the bill later this week, after which the House will vote on the bill.

Congress needs to pass a government funding bill before Friday, or the government will shut down.