House GOP Unveil $95B Plan for War, Aid07/16 06:06

   House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95 billion legislative plan 
focused on boosting defense, aiding farmers and enacting stricter voter 
registration rules, a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut bill that 
President Donald Trump signed into law last year.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95 billion 
legislative plan focused on boosting defense, aiding farmers and enacting 
stricter voter registration rules, a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut 
bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last year.

   The 47-page outline, called a budget resolution, is a long-shot undertaking 
designed to supplement Pentagon funding for the Iran war and address Trump's 
top priority of changing voter registration requirements. A more ambitious 
effort was narrowed to address concerns from some conservatives about adding to 
the deficit. The plan does not seek any offsets to pay for the new spending.

   House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed ahead after meeting with Trump at the 
White House this week in what will be the Republicans' calling card to voters 
this fall heading into the midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.

   "Safeguarding American elections and strengthening our national defense are 
the most basic responsibilities of Congress," Johnson said in a statement.

   Johnson welcomed the chance to again use a legislative process that would 
allow Republicans to overpower Democratic objections and eventually approve 
legislation on a party-line vote, saying the Democrats won't be able to block 
the GOP's priorities "any longer."

   Democrats, however, have argued against the sharply partisan path, 
particularly for matters of war funding.

   The Budget Committee is expected to consider the outline Thursday, ahead of 
floor action in the House next week.

   Billions of dollars for the Iran war

   The bulk of the $95 billion that Republicans will seek would go for the 
U.S.-led war against Iran, reflecting the White House's request for 
supplemental spending to rebuild stockpiles and fund classified programs.

   The resolution calls for the House Armed Services Committee to craft 
legislation that will not increase deficits through 2036 by more than $60 
billion; the Select Committee on Intelligence, $13 billion; the Agriculture 
Committee, $12 billion; and the House Administration Committee, $10 billion.

   The latter funding would be focused on enacting aspects of an election law 
overhaul that requires those registering to vote to provide proof of 
citizenship and is a top Trump priority. Republicans have said their focus is 
on enhancing election integrity, but Democrats say it's about suppressing voter 
turnout, particularly among married women, seniors and minorities who don't 
have ready access to the documents they would need to present when registering 
to vote.

   Overall, the plan for defense spending is on par with a request the White 
House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months. 
But it falls far short of the $350 billion increase the White House proposed 
earlier this year to boost defense resources.

   Approving extra war funding will be difficult, even among Republicans 
supporting the Iran effort, as the nation confronts staggering annual deficits 
reaching nearly $2 trillion this year.

   Trump pushes Congress for voting law changes

   Both the House and the Senate would have to pass the same budget resolution 
to launch the crafting of the party-line bill, which is politically difficult 
in a Congress where Republicans hold a narrow majority.

   Along with the war funds, the package Republicans are pursuing would include 
$10 billion for the GOP's effort to impose strict proof of citizenship 
requirements in line with provisions of the SAVE America Act, which has been a 
top Trump priority.

   Trump has insisted that Republicans approve the elections overhaul bill, 
which has passed the House but does not have the votes to overcome the 60-vote 
threshold in the Senate. So Republicans are looking to get parts of it through 
the arduous reconciliation process that allows both chambers to pass a bill 
with a simple majority.

   Overall, passage of the package would be a lengthy process, with much of the 
action taking place after lawmakers return from their August recess and during 
the heart of election season. Johnson told reporters his goal is for both 
chambers to pass the budget framework before lawmakers leave Washington for the 
August recess.

   Vice President JD Vance met with House Republicans in the afternoon, saying 
he wanted to give them a message of unity. He said they've accomplished a lot, 
but needed to stick together to get "one very big thing" done.

   "We've got a good piece of legislation to support the troops, support the 
farmers and get SAVE America Act passed," Vance said.

   Democrats mount opposition to the GOP package

   The additional aid for farmers dealing with higher gas and fertilizer prices 
has become an election year priority for many lawmakers with rural 
constituencies.

   But even the addition of farm aid is unlikely to be an incentive for 
Democrats to lend support for what is essentially a Republican-only bill. 
Democrats are expected to overwhelmingly oppose whatever final product emerges 
and force Republicans to take votes on scores of difficult amendments.

   Rep. Brendan Boyle, the lead Democratic lawmaker on the House Budget 
Committee, said the GOP's budget plan would lead to tens of billions of dollars 
in additional debt to fund what he called the most unpopular war in American 
history.

   "I'm going to fight like hell to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used 
to lower costs and make life better for American families, not to bankroll 
Trump's giveaways to billionaires and endless wars overseas," Boyle said.

   Johnson, of Louisiana, applauded Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, 
R-Texas, and others on the panel for moving swiftly to tee up the resolution 
and unlock what would be Republicans' third reconciliation bill this Congress.

   Trump's big tax breaks bill last year and the Homeland Security funding bill 
this year both passed largely along party lines.

   Arrington said several factors contributed to the decision not to offset 
some of the new spending Republicans will seek. First, the Trump 
administration's call for more defense spending was winnowed to just meeting 
replenishment needs during a time of war. Second, he was concerned that some of 
the savings generated in last year's party line bill could be relitigated and 
stripped out if the Senate Finance Committee had been instructed to find 
offsets.

   Republicans could have tried to work with Democrats to pass more defense 
spending through the regular budgeting process or through an emergency spending 
bill, but that would require bipartisan support to get through the Senate. And 
Democrats likely would have sought commensurate spending increases for 
non-defense priorities.

   "There's no doubt that Democrats would exact a big price," Arrington said. 
"... We avoided that, so I would say in this moment, with this scenario, that's 
a win."