The following report is by ZeroHedge:
House Speaker Mike Johnson told colleagues on Sunday that Congressional negotiators have reached a topline spending figure to avert a federal government shutdown on Jan. 19 for some government agencies, and Feb. 2 for others.
According to a Sunday “Dear Colleague” letter, the topline deal – which mostly adheres to a deal reached between the White House and former speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), limits discretionary spending to $1.66 trillion overall. It also secures $16 billion in additional spending cuts vs. the McCarthy deal, and is around $30 billion less than what Senate Democrats wanted.
“This represents the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade,” wrote Johnson, adding “As has been widely reported, a list of extra-statutory adjustments was agreed upon by negotiators last summer. The agreement today achieves key modifications to the June framework that will secure more than $16 billion in additional spending cuts to offset the discretionary spending levels.”
Breaking it down, the deal sets aside $886.3 billion for defense spending, $772.7 billion in domestic discretionary spending, and rescinds $6.1 billion in coronavirus emergency spending authority. The deal also accelerates $20 billion in cuts from the $80 billion IRS funding allocated under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities.
It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring. It rejects deep cuts to programs hard-working families count on, and provides a path to passing full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies.
President Biden’s staff said in a statement assigned to the 81-year-old.
House Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement in support of the new agreement.
It will also allow us to keep the investments for hardworking American families secured by the legislative achievements of President Biden and Congressional Democrats. Finally, we have made clear to Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats will not support including poison pill policy changes in any of the twelve appropriations bills put before the Congress.
The pair said.
Let’s see if this sticks…
Johnson and the Democrats’ biggest challenge will be House conservatives, who have opposed earlier debt ceiling agreements over a lack of spending offsets.
That said, this agreement is separate from funding for Israel and Ukraine – a growing sticking point among some Republicans.
As Mike Shedlock from MishTalk.com noted on Saturday, many problems remain.
What’s the Real Deadline?
January 19 is less than two weeks away. The real deadline is allegedly February 3.
Since Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is not incessantly yapping over this, I suspect the real deadline is further away.
Republicans can always punt with another “temporary” and “clean” continuing resolution. And that would not surprise me in the least. It would buy everyone time to avoid budget cuts that would kick in on April 30.
But eventually, it will come down to my long-stated beliefs, expressed below.
Expect More of This for More of That
The Republican hard-line House Freedom Caucus won’t accomplish anything because there is not enough of them and they are not even united on what they want.
Some want funding for Israel but that is conveniently lumped with funding for Ukraine which they generally don’t want.
H.R.2 is a nonstarter. As a result, there will be some Republican holdouts who will not vote for whatever Speaker Mike Johnson concocts with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
If any bill passes in the House, it will be with Democrat support. The Freedom Caucus will howl.
The only question is how big this final boondoggle is.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
As with all of these spending packages, the media whores and politicians always love to hype it up as if its this big deal, that the “lawmakers” are up all night frantically working for your good. It’s the same old theater every time. Nothing ever changes. And so now, it’s just more of our money they stole from us that will be spent to continue more unjust and wars on innocents, and other wasteful spending; and yet they will still need to raise the debt again at some point, and pass more packages to keep the lights on.
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
Ecclesiastes 5:8
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Yes, they steal from us, increasing interest rates and lowering our pensions, making housing unaffordable for so many, people working just to get by, and especially today, many do not have much to show for their hard work. Meanwhile, our government that is supposed to care for its citizens takes our money in taxes (that you better pay or else!) and gives it to foreign countries to help fund their wars, keep their borders closed, fund their abortion clinics, and lets our people suffer. There are so many people that need help in this country, yet it seems they keep giving all our money to Ukraine and other places. It’s thievery. So sad to see what our government is doing to its people. This is a great reason to remember the Bible verse that says “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21KJV). It’s real easy to get discouraged but remember, this is not our permanent home. Better things lay ahead for those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s all about me is what they are thinking. Just like it says in the Word in the end times. They will be lovers of self, well that’s certainly being fulfilled daily. The mayors and leaders like Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelousey, have all kept the money that is supposed to go for their districts and that s why their districts are filled with homeless people for miles on the streets, but they don’t care. Like Nancy, she has to keep that beauty parlor in business and the nearest liquor store. It’s so sad that we now live in clown world and can’t do anything about it, but the GOOD NEWS is , we will be out of here soon. Woohoo and Yippy Skippy, the Lord is soon to appear to us.