Appropriations

The White House on Wednesday threatened to veto a Republican bill meant to force the president to replace $55 billion in spending cuts to the Pentagon's budget. 

Hal Rogers said he does not know how many Republicans will defect: “The whip check is still going on,” he said.

GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will cast his vote in favor of the six-month spending bill when it comes up in the House on Thursday, according to his office. 

Ryan's 2013 budget would lower spending by $19 billion, but he is supporting leadership on the compromise to avoid a fight over a government shutdown right before the election. Conservatives say they prefer a six-month bill so that a new Romney administration can quickly reverse course and cut spending next spring.

The news comes as one of the major Tea Party groups issued a statement urging members to oppose the compromise package, which keeps the government open after the fiscal year ends on Oct. 1. The bill increases spending by an annualized rate of $8 billion, in line with the August 2011 debt deal.

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Federal worker unions said Tuesday that they will work to reverse an extended pay freeze contained in the six-month continuing resolution coming to the House floor on Thursday.

The bill continues the two-year-old pay freeze beyond Jan. 1 until March 27. President Obama had sought a 0.5 percent increase for civilian workers starting in the new year.

“It remains disappointing that the measure to fund the government from Oct. 1 through March 27 continues the pay freeze for federal workers while the CR is in effect,” said National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley said.

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The bill increases the rate of spending to conform with the 2011 debt ceiling deal -- $1.047 trillion for 2013.

New estimates from the Congressional Budget Office could cause Republicans to regret the deal they made with Democrats.

House and Senate appropriators are frustrated their annual bills have not been enacted, with leaders turning to stopgap measures instead.

The House approved a hastily assembled bill on Thursday that would provide $383 million in drought aid to livestock and other agricultural producers, after a debate in which many Democrats criticized the bill for not providing aid to all farmers and cutting conservation programs.

Members passed the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act, H.R. 6233, in a 223-197 vote that also revealed Republican opposition to the bill. Forty-six Republicans voted with most Democrats in opposing it, although 35 Democrats supported the measure.

Sequestration would force the Pentagon to scale back new defense strategy, a top Defense official told House lawmakers Wednesday. 

The agreement will extend government funding for six months at 2012 levels; it will be voted on in September