Soon after congressional leaders unveiled a bipartisan package of six government spending bills, Republican lawmakers voiced outrage online.
The text of the six bills was released on Sunday per the House of Representatives rule to give lawmakers at least 72 hours to review legislation before voting. The six bills, if approved by the House and Senate, will fund some federal agencies for a full year, with the package totaling roughly $460 billion.
The package, which comes after months of contentious negotiations, political infighting and stopgap measures to narrowly avert looming shutdowns, is the product of a deal struck by House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and a handful of other members of Congress.
Congress has failed for months to approve a federal funding package for the 2024 fiscal year, which began October 1, 2023. To keep the government, Johnson has passed multiple short-term funding bills. Even though Republicans hold a slight majority in the lower chamber, the speaker has had to rely on Democrats to pass legislation as some GOP members continue to vote against spending bills.
Newsweek reached out via email to representatives for Johnson and the Biden administration for comment.
While Johnson highlighted some key spending wins for conservatives in the package released on Sunday, several Republican lawmakers took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize the package and blast the speaker.
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Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, slammed the bill package while resharing a post on X by Elon Musk that reads, “Three things America needs: – Secure borders – Safe cities – Sensible spending.”
In his X post, the congressman called out Johnson and GOP leaders, writing: “cc: @HouseGOP @SpeakerJohnson @SenateGOP @LeaderMcConnell (hint: the Omni bills this week aren’t this).”
Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Georgia Republican, slammed the spending package and posted more than a dozen times on X where he listed policy that was “surrendered” during deal talks.
“The Swamp’s first spending package is out,” Clyde posted. “Follow along for all the policy wins that were SURRENDERED during backroom negotiations.”
Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, posted on X: “BREAKING: @SenSchumer just released the text for the first six spending bills we’re supposed to vote on this week that includes 605 PAGES OF EARMARKS. One example? Schumer’s $1 MILLION ask to build a new environmental justice center in NYC…”
In a subsequent post, Scott took aim at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“It’s not just Schumer cashing in your tax dollars and digging us deeper in debt for woke nonsense,” Scott wrote on X. “Pelosi wants you to send $1 MILLION to San Francisco so a social justice organization can make building improvements. HELL NO!”
While sharing one of Scott’s X posts, Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, blasted the package on X.
“Earmarks corrupt government,” Lee wrote. “Earmarks turn Republicans Democrat. No Republican should support them. No Republican should vote for this bill.”
Despite garnering some GOP backlash, congressional leaders praised the bill package on social media.
Johnson touted the measure as a victory for his party and a blow to President Joe Biden. The speaker said in a post on X on Sunday that American taxpayers will “benefit” from the bill package as he hailed it a victory for Republicans.
“House Republicans secured key conservative policy victories, rejected left-wing proposals, and imposed sharp cuts to agencies and programs critical to the President Biden’s agenda,” Johnson wrote. “This legislation forbids the Department of Justice from targeting parents exercising their right to free speech before school boards, while it blocks the Biden Administration from stripping Second Amendment rights from veterans. It imposes deep cuts to the EPA, ATF, and FBI, which under the Biden Administration have threatened our freedoms and our economy, while it fully funds veterans’ health care.”
Schumer, in a statement posted on X, called the package “good news” and said leadership is proud to avoid a government shutdown “without cuts or poison pill riders.”
“Among the good things Democrats helped secure in this package I am particularly proud that it fully funds the vital WIC program, makes critical investments in our infrastructure, and strengthens programs that benefit services for our veterans. Throughout the negotiations, Democrats fought hard to protect against cuts to housing and nutrition programs, and keep out harmful provisions that would further restrict access to women’s health, or roll back the progress we’ve made to fight climate change.”
The Senate majority leader said the clock is “now ticking” until government funding runs out and urged the House and Senate to quickly pass the package.
Congress has until 12:01 a.m. Saturday to avoid a partial government shutdown for the agencies included in the bill package released on Sunday, which includes funding for Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Transportation.
Congressional leaders are aiming to vote on the package this week and continue talks on the other six budget bills, which have a March 22 deadline. The second set of bills that are still being negotiated includes funding for defense.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.