House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., told Newsmax on Monday that four bills coming up for debate and action on the House floor this week would fund 70% of government spending even as a potential shutdown looms Saturday.
"If we can pay us all four of these bills and the appropriation bill that was already passed before the August recess, then we're going to be covering about 70% of the federal spending," Rosendale said on "Wake Up America." "So, we're already in a really good spot [to address the funding deadline]."
Roll Call reported Sunday that House Republicans are scheduling floor debates and a possible vote this week on the four bills that would fund defense, homeland security, agriculture, and foreign aid, cutting around $3.8 billion from agriculture and foreign aid programs.
"There are still a few members that won't vote for funding the government while we finish all the 12 bills. I don't understand," said Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
McCarthy said he still hopes to avoid a partial government shutdown as members "that have been holding off all this time blaming everybody else, will finally, hopefully, move off."
Congress has until Saturday to reach agreement on funding the government through the rest of the year or face a shutdown.
"I think that you're going to see those four bills come to the floor tomorrow," Rosendale said on Newsmax, "which is going to put us on a really, really, good trajectory to start addressing the end of the of funding."
Rosendale said that even if a shutdown comes, it would not be noticed by most Americans.
"Like most Americans, you're going to see very little impact," he said. "Checks will still go out. All of Social Security, our military, active military, they'll still receive their checks, and I think that by the time we get to this Saturday, we will have the opportunity to have, again, about 70% [funding]."
Rosendale said President Joe Biden's administration and Democrats could use the situation to "inflict pain" for political gain.
"Can the administration inflict pain and make it difficult for folks? Sure," Rosendale said. "Are they going to try and find the most painful situations that they can create so that they can make it an issue out of this? Sure, and keep us from doing our job and passing appropriation bills and try to force us to pay us to continue resolution and an omnibus? They will probably try that, but that's not the right way to fund government.
"I will not be intimidated by that. I'm going to make sure that we go through the appropriations process and have a transparent, responsibly funded government."
Charles Kim ✉
Charles Kim, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in reporting on news and politics.
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