GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/MILITARY: “House Republicans are struggling to agree on a plan to fund the federal government for 2018, a critical task that they must tackle before moving ahead with ambitions for a tax overhaul.
Defense hawks want to boost military spending above levels imposed by spending curbs established six years ago. But many Republicans aren’t willing to support the higher spending absent spending cuts elsewhere, as they are trying to balance the federal budget over the next decade without raising taxes.
The debate has delayed GOP efforts to move forward with a budget resolution—which Republican lawmakers plan to use as a tool to advance their tax plan—as well as spending bills needed to keep the government running once its current funding expires Oct. 1.
Time isn’t on their side: Congress leaves for a weeklong recess for the Fourth of July and will be out for five weeks starting July 28, leaving little room on the legislative calendar.”
-Kate Davidson, Kristina Peterson, and Richard Rubin, “Rift Delays House GOP Efforts on Budget Resolution,” The Wall Street Journal online, June 22, 2017 06:00am