As members of Congress begin trickling back into the nation's capital as their August recess comes to an end, there's one big fight looming: funding the federal government before September 30 to avert a shutdown.
While their wasn't much urgency demonstrated by congressional leadership before their members left town, all eyes now turn to the brewing fight over disparate funding priorities and expectations being set by the GOP-controlled House and Democrat-controlled Senate with the heavy hand of the Biden White House also seeking to preserve its goals of expanding the federal government.
With just 25 days remaining before government funding runs out, there are big questions yet to be answered about what the Republican House will — or can — agree to based on GOP leadership's "Commitment to America" platform used to secure a narrow majority in the midterms.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) is one Republican who's not ready to accept any concessions when it comes to doing what he and other Republicans said they'd do when they were elected. Among those issues is border security and, specifically, funding for a border wall.
Included in the funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, as CBS News noted, are "a number of contentious items [to Democrats, at least], ranging from reductions in funding for government diversity programs to reductions in humanitarian and climate programs...But perhaps the biggest and most paralyzing source of contention is a multi-billion dollar investment in expanding a wall at the southern border."
"If somebody's getting all squeamish about the border wall, I mean, frankly my response is: Kiss my a**," Roy told CBS News of the plan to "allocate $2.104 billion to build and expand a southern border barrier" as part of the DHS funding bill that's set to be debated on September 12 as lawmakers get to work on approving and sending funding bills to the House floor.
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Roy called a physical border barrier "massively important," reminding CBS News that "we need to do it" and "we paid for it" even as the Biden administration has reportedly been auctioning off border wall materials at a loss to taxpayers. "It's completely absurd," Roy emphasized. "You do need a border infrastructure."
Republicans should not fund (with debt - see chart) the things they campaign against - and then just shrug… border… DOJ weaponization… DOD wokeness… IRS abuse… COVID tyranny. Extending a CR of the disastrous Omni is non-starter. #NoSecurityNoFunding https://t.co/atf3KQQNg5 pic.twitter.com/A9JGzrLS1a
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 4, 2023
How much of a fight is Roy expecting? Well, while home in Texas for the August recess, he's been tweeting up a storm and signaling his readiness to go to the mat to push back on attempts to make concessions or giveaways to Democrats and President Biden that betray the promises made to voters in 2022.
Thanks Joshua, and God Bless. Determined to keep fighting it.
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 5, 2023
“We can’t do anything until next election cycle” is not good enough, period. Time for action #PowerOfThePurse #Federalist58 https://t.co/0FUGK7bJUc
Let’s roll. https://t.co/iBaVGIIM90
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 4, 2023
Yes. Saddle up. https://t.co/5FtdykMGx7
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 4, 2023
Me too. Game time. https://t.co/eIsd5Aqs4w
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 4, 2023
While it's still too early to say for sure who will join him in pushing back against continued funding at Biden-requested levels and in pursuit of Democrat policies, there's at least one other firebrand conservative in Roy's corner: Senator Mike Lee. Pointing to the larger issue beyond just this month's funding deadline, Lee raises the question of why voters would choose Republicans in 2024 (and beyond) if they keep getting a rubber stamp for Biden and the Democrats' agenda:
If Republicans in Congress want to win elections in 2024, they’ll actually listen to what @chiproytx is trying to tell them. https://t.co/yuejYoWXyc
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) September 4, 2023
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