House GOP lawmakers crafted the plan after many in their caucus objected to the spending levels under the framework.
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The Republican-controlled Senate adjourned Thursday night after a marathon week of passing major bills that authorize $30.8 billion in spending, overhaul public pension benefits and smash state control over the sale of wine.
And all acknowledged there are still serious issues to resolve, foremost among them what taxes might need to be raised to bring any final spending plan into balance. Yet unlike several previous spending deadlines, there’s not much concern in Washington about the threat of a government shutdown-at least immediately.
The main sticking point comes over so-called riders, which are statements of policy inserted into the spending bill. The measure would ensure the government does not shut down and would fund the government until December 16, according to NBC News.
“I do not see any votes in the House for something like a $3 billion tax increase”, Turzai said. She contended Democrats proposed just a few, “and ours were very reasonable”.
“If [the government’s] budget does not allow the CDC to compile that data, that information, so we can figure out how to more effectively address the public safety-requirements of the American people, then – I’m speaking for myself – it’s a budget not worth voting for”, Israel told reporters.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, speaking at an event marking the third anniversary of a CT school shooting, said Democrats insist the bill contain language ending a ban on funding for gun violence research.
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who chairs the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, said, “It’s time to… let our experts do what they do best – conduct research that will save some lives”.
“We’ve got what I believe will be a do-able budget”, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, said.
In an attempt to give these hardliners more say, House Republicans on Thursday chose one of them, Kansas Rep. Tim Huelskamp, for a committee that influences legislation and appointments to key House positions.
“We’re not close to a [touchdown]”, Rogers said after a weekly closed-door meeting of House Republicans. “Fine, I’m going to go out and do it the way I’ve always done it, ‘” Meadows told reporters. “Because both sides are treated pretty fairly”.
Congressional Democrats have pressed for tougher gun control laws in the aftermath of last week’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., that left 14 people dead.
Complicating efforts is a separate battle to extend – or possibly make permanent – dozens of specialty tax breaks that are routinely approved at the end of each year.
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The omnibus bill includes provisions to remove expiration dates for small business and research and development, earned income, college education and child tax credits, Bolton reports.
