WASHINGTON—Congressional leaders on Tuesday afternoon released text of a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through Dec. 23, buying more time for the lame-duck Congress to negotiate and pass a massive omnibus bill that locks in the Biden-Schumer-Pelosi agenda through next fall.
Eric Teetsel, Heritage vice president of government relations, released the following statement Tuesday in response to the release of the text:
“Yet again, Congressional leaders are shamefully using Christmas to obscure their back room dealing. A one-week extension only allows for more time to write and pass a massive, expensive, unprecedented omnibus spending bill. Spending bills should reflect the priorities of the American people as demonstrated by their votes in the recent election. Conversely, outgoing members of Congress should not saddle new members, and the American people they represent, with trillions in wasteful, radical spending programs for which they will never be held accountable, including $16 billion in earmarks. An omnibus would lock in the Biden-Schumer-Pelosi agenda, leaving our borders open, providing federal funding for abortions, doubling the size of the IRS, promoting critical race theory, and bankrolling job-killing green energy programs.
“No defeated, outgoing House majority has ever had the audacity to pass an omnibus appropriations bill during a lame-duck session, and they shouldn’t start now. The best option is to pass a clean, short-term continuing resolution that funds the government through early next year. This allows the newly elected Congress to craft spending in a way that reflects the priorities of the American people, gets spending under control, and reins in inflation.”
BACKGROUND: Unable to agree on fiscal 2023 appropriations, lawmakers earlier approved a continuing resolution (CR) funding the government at 2022 levels. In response to that temporary spending bill expiring Dec. 16, Congress is set to pass a one-week government funding bill to buy time for negotiations for a bigger spending package. Congress must decide whether to extend the CR into next year or pass a full-year omnibus funding bill instead.
