September 15th

1000 MORE's weekly nonpartisan roundup of the most important happenings in federal government, written in a way that doesn't require a law degree to understand, with tools to take action

September 15, 2023

This week in MORE POWER:

How To Keep The Government Open
Biden Impeachment
Internal Combustion Engines: The Come Back
Federal Land Management
Sen. Tuberville’s Ongoing Military Blockade
Budget Update

How To Keep The Government Open

As of today, Congress is zero for 12 on passing budget bills. It is extremely unlikely that the budget will pass by September 30th, as Congress only has eight working days left before the deadline. That means a stopgap funding bill called a continuing resolution will have to pass by the end of the month to keep the government open. But the political dynamics in Congress are standing in the way of it all.

Congress often waits until the last minute to do budget deals as looming deadlines push members to compromise, but this Congress is different. There are not only negotiations between chambers and parties, as is typical, but there are outright fights within the Republican party, slowing progress.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, (R-CA) has vowed he will not put an omnibus bill on the floor to pass the budget more quickly by voting on multiple bills at the same time. McCarthy also said that he will not schedule a stopgap funding bill for a vote if it includes billions of new spending on Ukraine without getting concessions from the Biden administration on their U.S.-Mexico border policy.

In the Senate, Sen. Ron Johnson, (R-WI) blocked movement on a three-budget-bill minibus. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-KY) is demanding more Ukraine aid to counter the House. Disaster relief remains in question in both chambers as well. Keep scrolling for an update on where individual budget bills stand and a link to read more about each one and take action, or already have thoughts?

Contact Your Reps Here

Biden Impeachment

Far-right conservatives are demanding at least one of two things in order to get their votes to pass the 2024 budget, or the continuing resolution to keep the government funded while Congress negotiates the final budget: the impeachment of Joe Biden or massive cuts to government spending.

This week, Speaker McCarthy said that there will be an impeachment inquiry under his authority as speaker, bypassing a vote on the issue. This decision gives political cover to more moderate Republicans in districts won by President Biden so that they wouldn’t have to suffer repercussions of voting for impeachment when they run for re-election. It also doesn’t jeopardize the inquiry if moderate members decided not to vote for impeachment.

His decision provoked a stern reaction from hardliners, who said that the commitment wasn’t enough to secure their votes to pass a budget or a continuing resolution, saying budget cuts must be made first. Rep. Matt Gaetz, (R-FL) is still threatening a vote to boot McCarthy out of the speakership if he doesn’t deliver. McCarthy is undeterred, daring them to hold the vote, according to Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL).

Internal Combustion Engines: The Come Back

This week, House Republicans passed the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act. This bill would roll back the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) standards aimed at reducing pollution by driving sales away from vehicles that use internal combustion engines toward greener vehicles. House Republicans passed this bill to push back against Biden and Democrat successes on hybrid and electric vehicles to reduce pollution and its harmful effects on human health.

You Can Read About The Bill & Take Action Here

Federal Land Management

The federal government runs many programs to regulate how state and local governments and Tribal authorities can manage federal lands, and Congress passes laws to govern how the executive branch runs these programs.

This week, the House scheduled a vote on the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act. This bipartisan bill would broaden a federal land management program for states to allow Indian tribes and counties to also benefit from timber sales and use the profits to invest in forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services.

You Can Read About The Bill & Take Action Here

Sen. Tuberville’s Ongoing Military Blockade

For months, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-AL) has refused to advance Biden’s military nominees due to his opposition to the military’s abortion-procedure leave policy for service members. Now, the term of the current chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the president’s top military advisor, expires October 1.

The replacement to General Mark Milley, General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. is still awaiting Senate confirmation because Tuberville continues to block votes on military confirmations. If Brown remains unconfirmed by October 1, he will become acting chairman on that date, which the military says harms their ability to function.

Some Senate Republicans are pushing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY) to bypass Tuberville and put the confirmation vote on the Senate floor. Schumer does not want to do that because he wants to pressure Tuberville to relent from blocking all military confirmation votes in committee instead. Have a view on this that you would like to share?

Contact Your Senators Here