House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is rushing to pass a 2,741-page funding measure Wednesday before Democrats set off to Pennsylvania for a party retreat, giving lawmakers less than 15 hours to comb through the legislation.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, unveiled the $1.5 trillion budget bill at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday before scheduling a mid-day vote for passage.
Although the bill was negotiated in a bipartisan fashion, Republicans say they are being forced to vote on the legislation without appropriate time to review.
“Pelosi’s minions released a 2,700 [plus] page omnibus spending bill after midnight that we will consider today,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican. “At a time of record inflation and wasteful spending, the proposed solution is spend, spend, spend and another $1.5 trillion bill that no one will read.”
Democrats contend the bill was negotiated with party leaders from the House and the Senate. They say a speedy timeline is needed to avert a government shutdown, as funding runs out on March 11.
“This bipartisan agreement will help us address many of the major challenges we face at home and abroad: from COVID-19, to the vicious and immoral attack on Ukraine, to the need to lower costs for hardworking American families,” Mrs. Pelosi said.
GOP lawmakers say, however, that House Democrats are jamming the bill through so as not to mess up a planned party retreat in Philadelphia this weekend.
Officially, House Democrats are set to depart for the two-day confab as soon as votes finish. The retreat is set to serve as a prime strategy session as House Democrats gear up their messaging and fundraising efforts ahead of the November elections.
Over panel discussions with White House officials and evening receptions, including one hosted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that includes a well-known Philadelphia drag-performer, Mrs. Pelosi and allies will design their strategy for keeping the House majority.
“Pelosi and House Democrats are rushing through a vote today on a massive $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package because they have a previously scheduled retreat in Philadelphia this evening — featuring some interesting ‘entertainment,’” said Rep. Mike Johnson, a Lousiana Republican who serves as vice-chair of the House GOP Conference. “You can’t make this stuff up.”
As the first budget of President Biden’s tenure in the White House, the $1.5 trillion legislation is a big win for Democrats. Among other things, the budget bill would:
- Boost overall domestic spending by 6.7% to $730 billion, much of which will go to social welfare programs.
- Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a measure long championed by Mr. Biden to prevent domestic violence.
- Invest $11 billion to construct new affordable housing.
Mr. Biden’s budget will also be the first within at least a decade to include billions in earmarks, discretionary spending measures.
“This bill is filled with pet projects, earmarks, and radical spending,” said Rep. Kevin Hern, Oklahoma Republican.
• Haris Alic can be reached at halic@washingtontimes.com.
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