Conservative Radio Host Makes the Case to Keep the Government Open

Hugh Hewitt

We’re days away from a government shutdown. House Republicans unveiled a six-month continuing resolution to keep the government funded as Congress presses on with the budget reconciliation process that will make the Trump tax cuts permanent, secure the border, and finish the wall, among other things. I don’t mind a good shutdown, but we can’t afford one now.

We can’t let the liberal media and the Democrats have a win here, which will be a ‘GOP in disarray’ narrative. Also, with Democrats having no message, why give them this easy dub? On his show Monday, Salem Media Group's Hugh Hewitt made these points in supporting the CR on the Hill: Keep the deportations rolling, keep the rebuilding of our defense going, and keep the DOGE DOGE-ing. 

Eye on the prize, which is getting through the budget reconciliation process relatively unscathed. Also, even CBS News pointed out why the Democrats want a short-term funding measure, which is the alternative: they’re worried about DOGE (via CBS News) [emphasis mine]:

House Republicans unveiled a continuing resolution over the weekend, which would extend government funding through September. The stopgap measure would increase defense spending, along with additional funding for veterans' health care, while decreasing non-defense spending below 2024 levels. The bill also includes more funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

The resolution first goes to the House Rules Committee, before a vote on the floor as soon as Tuesday. Republicans, who have a razor-thin majority in the House, are working to shore up support on the measure, with opposition expected from House Democrats. Already at least one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has pledged to oppose the continuing resolution. 

[…] 

If the House is unable to find the necessary support for the six-month continuing resolution, lawmakers would likely move to a shorter-term funding measure that would give appropriators more time to flesh out new spending bills. Democrats have signaled in recent days that they prefer the latter approach, which would likely find wide bipartisan margins in both chambers, while frustrating conservatives. 

Many Democrats have reservations about the six-month stopgap measure, warning that it would give the Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency even more latitude to carry out cost-slashing efforts. That's because a continuing resolution, unlike regular appropriations bills, lacks a congressional statement of direction on how funds are to be spent by a department or agency. Democrats have also expressed frustration with the spending reductions in the continuing resolution. But Democrats generally aren't inclined to let the government shut down, and House Republicans — expected to leave town after the stopgap measure passes — are exerting pressure to avoid a shutdown. 

Should the House find enough support to approve the six-month stopgap measure, it would then go to the Senate. But the upper chamber poses its own hurdles. Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, but 60 votes are necessary to propel the bill to passage, meaning support from Democrats will be needed. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has also pledged to oppose the measure, making support from at least eight Democrats necessary to pass the measure and send it to the president's desk.

Let’s see how things play out, but Republicans, I would hope, are thinking long-term about the real domestic goal this year. It’s not haggling over short- or long-term CRs, but it's not on this fight. Keep the doors open, get the budget reconciliation package through.

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