White House says Biden would veto spending bills for Defense, Homeland Security and State
The White House has issued a trio of veto threats against the first set of spending bills the House is scheduled to vote on, dismissing each proposal as “partisan bills” put forward by Republicans.
The White House published statements of administration policy Monday addressing House spending bills for the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Department of State.
“Rather than respecting their agreement and taking the opportunity to engage in a productive, bipartisan appropriations process to build on last year’s bills, House Republicans are again wasting time with partisan bills that would result in deep cuts to law enforcement, education, housing, healthcare, consumer safety, energy programs that lower utility bills and combat climate change, and essential nutrition services,” the White House said.
The administration argued the proposals also included “numerous, partisan policy provisions with devastating consequences” for reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, climate change initiatives and diversity efforts.
The administration said President Biden would veto the bills if they reached his desk — an unlikely scenario, given the House legislation would also need to get through the Democratic-controlled Senate.
House lawmakers will weigh in on the three government funding bills this week as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) looks to make good on his rigorous schedule for the appropriations process.
The bills are set to go before the House Rules Committee on Tuesday afternoon. More than 230 amendments were filed for the Homeland Security bill, several of which focus on the border; upward of 210 amendments were put forth for the State/Foreign Operations measure, with some focusing on Ukraine; and around 400 amendments were proposed for the Pentagon legislation.
The trio of bills all advanced out of the appropriations committee despite opposition from Democrats, meaning they are all but certain to languish in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Top House Republicans, however, are still moving forward with the votes, hoping the cleared legislation will put them on stronger footing during negotiations with the Senate down the road.
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