According to Just The News, the GOP-led House ended its session before the August recess without completing the 12 appropriations bills, breaking its promise to voters.
This situation heightens the likelihood of Congress resorting to another temporary Continuing Resolution to keep federal operations afloat.
Last October, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., assured colleagues that the House would not go on August recess unless all 12 appropriations bills were passed. However, the Republicans in the House canceled votes for the following week and will reconvene in early September, cutting short their session initially scheduled to last until August 1.
Federal appropriations are set to expire on September 30. So far, only five of the 12 appropriations bills for the fiscal year 2025 have passed in the House. To avoid a government shutdown, a continuing resolution must be passed by October 1, with Congress returning from recess on September 9.
House Republicans have faced internal conflicts over budget negotiations, leading to disruptions in the process. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., lost his position due to disagreements over spending cuts within the party. Speaker Johnson nearly faced a similar fate, as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., threatened to oust him after he supported a $1.2 trillion "minibus" spending package.
Last Wednesday, Republicans managed to pass one of the fiscal year 2025 spending bills after several failed or tied votes. According to an unnamed Republican lawmaker, the vote saw significant pressure from the whip team on members of different factions, including the Freedom Caucus and moderates.
Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., mentioned that he has refrained from bringing forth bills that might fail due to lack of support. Earlier in the week, the House postponed a vote on the Department of Energy funding bill over concerns about its cost.
Disagreements among GOP lawmakers regarding abortion and contraceptive protections in certain legislations have further hindered progress on appropriations measures.
Several crucial funding bills were put on hold due to internal conflicts. Bills intended to fund the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration, and Financial Services were not taken up as initially planned. Earlier in the month, the House failed to pass a $7 billion funding bill for parts of the legislative branch after 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it.
The last vote before the recess involved a resolution criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris' performance as "border czar," which passed 220-196 with support from six Democrats. According to Managing Editor Kyle Kondik, this failure to pass the appropriations bills is unlikely to impact the 2024 elections, as internal GOP procedural issues are often not significant electorally. Kondik further commented that Republican voters usually do not pay close attention to the inner workings of the House.
With Congress scheduled to return on September 9, the House faces a tight deadline to pass a continuing resolution by October 1. Speaker Johnson's assurance last October sets the stage for a pressing situation as they return with only a few weeks to finalize appropriations measures.
Despite the setbacks, Republicans must navigate internal disagreements and work against the clock to prevent a government shutdown. The challenges faced in advancing appropriations bills underscore the party’s internal struggle and the pressure leaders face in aligning the interests of different factions.
The GOP-led House failed to pass all 12 appropriations bills before the August recess amid internal conflicts and disagreements over budget allocations. This increases the risk of passing another temporary Continuing Resolution to avoid a government shutdown when Congress reconvenes in September. Despite passing some spending bills, significant appropriations measures remain unaddressed.
