The GOP-led bill, which Senate Democrats and the White House say is a non-starter because it slashes budgets across the federal government, would return non-defense spending to 2022 levels. Democrats and the V.A. argue that would amount to a 22% cut to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Rep. Mike Bost, Illinois Republican and chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, sought to offer assurances that the Republican bill would allow money to be shifted around throughout the federal government so that cuts would not affect the V.A. The V.A. has said returning to last year’s funding levels, which would amount to roughly $130 billion in cuts to non-defense programs and agencies for the next fiscal year, would cost 81,000 jobs and mean 30 million fewer outpatient visits for veterans.
“We just passed a bill that addresses the debt ceiling. And for all that we hear from our Senate friends, they’ve yet to pass anything. If they got a better idea, I want to see that bill and tell them to pass it through the Senate,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, said on ABC’s “This Week.
Sen. Bernard Sanders endorsed the idea of Mr. Biden coming to the negotiating table but only over federal spending cuts in the annual budget. He said anything other than a clean debt limit raise to avert a default on the national debt should be off the table.
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