House Republicans are still struggling with the basic tasks of political functioning. The federal government is rapidly hurtling towards a potential shutdown of key services, and among the ideas to keep that possibility at bay is a temporary extension of existing funding approvals that comes with a cut to everything that’s not defense (or the Department of Veterans Affairs) of an absolutely whopping 27 percent.
And it’s not only that their basic proposals are, in some iterations, so extreme. House Republicans are also struggling to even arrive at the metaphorical (or literal) negotiating table via passing something they want amid this necessary appropriations process. Repeatedly in recent days, votes in the House (where Republicans lead) to simply move forward with basic funding measures (rather than even providing final approval) failed. As for the substance of some of these GOP ideas, those cuts could be catastrophic. The simple math should make such a thing pretty clear.
“Some of the very same House Republicans who were lining up to try to make a partisan political issue of air travel disruptions are proposing cuts that would make it harder to modernize our systems,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said Sunday, as highlighted by journalist Aaron Rupar. “Some of the very same House Republicans who were lining up to try to make the pain of the people of East Palestine, Ohio, into a partisan political issue would cut railroad safety inspections. It makes no sense.”
An original report about the potentially massive cuts in a proposed extension of current funding that might not even pass the House came from journalist Erik Wasson. “The new CR they are drafting has 27% temporary cut to non defense / non- VA lawmakers say (up from 8%),” he wrote on X (Twitter). CR stands for “continuing resolution.” If that proposal or something close to it does come up for a vote, Americans will get to see which members of Congress stand for kneecapping federal agencies almost universally, with little regard for consequence.
Buttigieg on CNN: “Think about what this means for transportation … Some of the very same House Republicans who were lining to try to make a partisan political issue of air travel disruptions are proposing cuts that would make it harder to modernize our systems.” pic.twitter.com/4bEYSOplsM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 24, 2023
