Bipartisan Tensions Rise Over Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2023

The ink is barely dry on the hard-fought deal that averted a default on the national debt and already Democrats are accusing Republicans of trying to violate the terms of the agreement, which they said could lead to a government shutdown.

Among other things, the debt ceiling bill, formally known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, put caps in place, forcing a slight cut in non-military discretionary spending for fiscal year 2024. But as the appropriations process got going in earnest last week, it became clear that Republicans plan to try and cut non-military spending well below the maximum level allowed under the cap, outraging many Democrats.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, said in an interview on CNN that House Republicans have already "walked away from this deal."

"The issue will be how long will the Republicans try to hold this process hostage, and what kind of harm will be done in the interim," Rep. DeLauro added. "We have an obligation because what we can't do is have the government shut down. And that is potentially where the Republican majority wants to take us: to a government shutdown."

Under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, discretionary spending for FY 24 cannot exceed $1.59 trillion, including $886 billion for the military. But top-line numbers approved on a party line vote in the Appropriations Committee last week only add up to $1.47 trillion. The defense allotment is unchanged, however, meaning Republicans plan to cut $120 billion from other areas, such as agriculture and human services.

At least one member of the Oklahoma delegation feels it's premature for anyone to overreact to these numbers.

"People need to not get their hair on fire," said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK4) in an interview last week.

Rep. Cole said, yes, the Republican majority in the House is pushing to make deeper cuts but it's too early in the process, he said, to worry that these could be final numbers.

"We have to have Democratic votes to pass these bills in the Senate, they have to have Republican votes to pass their bills in the House," Cole noted, "and a Democratic president has to agree to sign them."

The debt ceiling bill contains a provision that, in theory, should incentivize Republicans not to push Democrats too far: if no budget agreement is reached by the end of the calendar year and Congress is forced to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government operating, there would be a one percent across-the-board cut to all departments, which Cole said would mean a $37 billion hit to defense.

"You would see [an impact] at Fort Sill, Tinker, Vance, Altus, the contracting community," Cole stated, "so, it’s not something that’s good for the defense of the country and it’s also not something that’s good for the economy of Oklahoma."

In the end, Cole believes cooler heads will prevail, as they have in the past.

"Any negotiation I ever was part of," said Cole, "you always get less than you want, and you always give up more than you’d like -- well, welcome to real life."