What About Appropriations?: While the Republican conference has spent much of this week debating their strategy for reconciliation, appropriators are becoming increasingly worried that FY25 funding has been put on the back burner. Despite the looming March 14th deadline, topline numbers have yet to be finalized. Further complicating matters is the need to pass a bipartisan package, as Democratic votes will be needed in the Senate due to the filibuster. Threading this needle is no easy task and will take time. Therefore, a topline is desperately needed and the appropriators are sounding the alarm.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) has assured appropriators that both FY25 spending and reconciliation discussions are ongoing. A quick reminder: under the terms of the 2023 debt limit deal, across-the-board cuts will start in late April if a funding deal cannot be reached.
Debt Limit Strategy: Speaker Johnson has been advocating for the debt limit increase to be included in a reconciliation package to avoid the need for bipartisan negotiations. However, negotiating and passing a reconciliation bill is a long process that could take many months. Although congressional leadership has ambitious plans to pass a reconciliation bill by April, it could take much longer than that. Another complication with adding a debt ceiling increase to the reconciliation package is that under the reconciliation rules, members must specify a debt ceiling in dollar terms, rather than using the preferred method of "suspending" the debt ceiling. To avoid these hurdles, some members are arguing that the debt limit increase should be included in an appropriations package instead.
House Dem Additions: Earlier this week, Democratic leadership announced that Reps. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Mike Levin (D-CA), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) will join the House Appropriations Committee in the 119th Congress.
With his return to the Committee finalized, Rep. Clyburn may take on the ranking member position on the Transportation-HUD Subcommittee. On the House Republican side, Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and John Carter (R-TX) have been granted waivers to remain chair of the Defense and MilCon-VA Subcommittees, respectively. We expect the final House Appropriations subcommittee chairs and ranking members will be released next week.
Senate Changes: The Senate passed its organizing resolution for the 119thCongress this Tuesday,making committee compositions official for the upper chamber. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was officially named chair of the Appropriations Committee, while Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will move to the role of ranking member. Democrats joining the committee are Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Republicans will add Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Mike Rounds (R-SD). Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) will continue serving on the committee for the first part of the year, but is expected to open a spot upon his confirmation to be Secretary of State.
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