Staff Reports
House Republicans have decided to throw in the towel on the fiscal year and opted for a continuing resolution, also known as a “CR,” to extend government spending largely at 2024 levels. This legislative maneuver is a tactical retreat intended to pivot towards President Trump’s agenda, marking an end to the tug-of-war that has characterized recent budget negotiations. The resolution passed narrowly with a 217-213 vote, managing to snag support from one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, along with nearly all Republicans, barring one who must have mistaken budgeting for a game of solitaire.
House Speaker Mike Johnson proclaimed the measure as the best option on the table, considering the current political quagmire. He justified the decision, claiming it was a necessary move to preserve the resources of hard-working Americans. This might raise an eyebrow or two among fiscal hawks who had previously rallied against such stopgap measures. While some may view this decision as a retreat, Johnson insisted that in the current landscape, committing to a CR is actually the responsible and conservative thing to do. Who knew that Washington-speak could be so convenient for those looking to sidestep accountability?
Despite the last-minute scramble, Trump’s endorsement played a crucial role in swaying conservatives to support the resolution, signaling to the party that fiscal restraint might not have to be thrown entirely out the window. While Johnson may not have exactly held up his promise of avoiding CRs, the bill manages to slice $13 billion from non-defense spending, while sweetening the pot for defense with a roughly $6 billion increase. This would surely put a smile on the faces of military enthusiasts across the nation.
Nearly halfway into the fiscal year, House Republicans gave up Tuesday and passed an extension of spending largely at 2024 levels, saying they wanted to turn the page and start on President Trump's agenda. https://t.co/btcCZP1HQP
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) March 11, 2025
The new measure also boosts funding for veterans’ healthcare and promises to avert a funding shortfall that the VA had been waving red flags about. In an act of benevolence, there’s also a bump for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as a tidy sum for the nutritional program for Women, Infants, and Children. Meanwhile, Democrats are lamenting the bill as a “blank check” for Trump, claiming it will hurt veterans and lower-income Americans while simultaneously tying up crucial infrastructure projects. Apparently, they’re more concerned about avoiding a government shutdown than helping the people they claim to represent.
Democratic leadership has seized the opportunity to criticize the GOP’s approach, labeling the stopgap as a failed attempt to address necessary reforms for programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Although these entitlement programs don’t fall under congressional control during budgeting, the notion that Republicans have a plan to curtail spending on these fronts understandably raises eyebrows.
With the clock ticking down to the government’s funding expiration date, shifting focus towards fiscal year 2026 has become Republican leadership’s new reality. The ball is now in Trump’s court, as he prepares to unveil his budget, with hopes pinned on it providing the direction crucial to rebuild Republican spending priorities. If recent history is any indication, getting consensus on the right fiscal strategy will be as easy as herding cats while riding a unicycle through a revolving door.
