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| Divided House Democrats Delay Budget Vote as Ideological Gap Widens | Divided House Democrats Delay Budget Vote as Ideological Gap Widens |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Furious opposition from both the House Democrats’ most ardent liberals and their fiscal hawks forced Democratic leaders on Tuesday to delay voting on a two-year budget measure that would increase military and domestic spending, an embarrassing send-off as the new majority prepared to leave for a three-day retreat. | WASHINGTON — Furious opposition from both the House Democrats’ most ardent liberals and their fiscal hawks forced Democratic leaders on Tuesday to delay voting on a two-year budget measure that would increase military and domestic spending, an embarrassing send-off as the new majority prepared to leave for a three-day retreat. |
| The decision to indefinitely postpone the vote underscored the Democrats’ lack of unity almost 100 days into their majority and the challenge facing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team as they try to bridge an ideological gap between upstart progressives flexing their muscles and more moderate members clinging to their Republican-leaning seats. | The decision to indefinitely postpone the vote underscored the Democrats’ lack of unity almost 100 days into their majority and the challenge facing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team as they try to bridge an ideological gap between upstart progressives flexing their muscles and more moderate members clinging to their Republican-leaning seats. |
| “This is not an outcome,” Ms. Pelosi told reporters on Tuesday. “This is a process.” | “This is not an outcome,” Ms. Pelosi told reporters on Tuesday. “This is a process.” |
| Asked if a spending deal was possible despite the party’s factions, Ms. Pelosi said, “Of course.” | Asked if a spending deal was possible despite the party’s factions, Ms. Pelosi said, “Of course.” |
| The bill — championed by Representatives John Yarmuth of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, and Nita M. Lowey of New York, the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee — would set higher military and domestic spending levels than the hard caps fixed in the Budget Control Act of 2011. It had been presented last week as a substitute to a broader budget blueprint that would have outlined policy priorities in health care, taxation, defense and other areas, as well as new spending limits. | The bill — championed by Representatives John Yarmuth of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, and Nita M. Lowey of New York, the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee — would set higher military and domestic spending levels than the hard caps fixed in the Budget Control Act of 2011. It had been presented last week as a substitute to a broader budget blueprint that would have outlined policy priorities in health care, taxation, defense and other areas, as well as new spending limits. |
| But liberals were angered by the continued increase in military spending and demanded even more money for domestic programs. Budget hawks worried about the unabated rise in spending with no effort to bring down a rising tide of red ink; the bill would increase military and domestic spending limits by more than $350 billion over the next two years. | But liberals were angered by the continued increase in military spending and demanded even more money for domestic programs. Budget hawks worried about the unabated rise in spending with no effort to bring down a rising tide of red ink; the bill would increase military and domestic spending limits by more than $350 billion over the next two years. |
| Republicans reveled in the disarray. Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas, the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, called it “another embarrassing failure to govern.” | Republicans reveled in the disarray. Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas, the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, called it “another embarrassing failure to govern.” |
| Some Democrats involved with the budget process played down the decision to shelve the vote, arguing that the best outcome in divided government would emerge from negotiations with the Republican majority in the Senate and the White House. They pointed to an agreement between Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, President Trump and Ms. Pelosi to allow staff to begin work on a two-year spending-caps deal in the coming weeks. Congress has previously negotiated deals to bypass the Budget Control Act caps, but a failure to act again before the fiscal year that begins in October would lead to automatic cuts totaling $125 billion. | Some Democrats involved with the budget process played down the decision to shelve the vote, arguing that the best outcome in divided government would emerge from negotiations with the Republican majority in the Senate and the White House. They pointed to an agreement between Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, President Trump and Ms. Pelosi to allow staff to begin work on a two-year spending-caps deal in the coming weeks. Congress has previously negotiated deals to bypass the Budget Control Act caps, but a failure to act again before the fiscal year that begins in October would lead to automatic cuts totaling $125 billion. |
| “I’m hoping this will be the beginning of a bipartisan agreement that will be necessary in order to have an orderly appropriations process not only this year, but next year as well,” Mr. McConnell told reporters. The prospect of bicameral talks was first raised in March, and Mr. McConnell called Ms. Pelosi to finalize plans on Tuesday afternoon, according to two aides briefed on the interactions. | “I’m hoping this will be the beginning of a bipartisan agreement that will be necessary in order to have an orderly appropriations process not only this year, but next year as well,” Mr. McConnell told reporters. The prospect of bicameral talks was first raised in March, and Mr. McConnell called Ms. Pelosi to finalize plans on Tuesday afternoon, according to two aides briefed on the interactions. |
| And lawmakers on Tuesday approved a procedural vote that set the top spending levels for negotiating spending bills for the next fiscal year — allowing appropriators to begin working on legislation that would fund the government through 2020. Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said earlier in the day that he plans to push for spending bills to be completed by the end of June to avoid another shutdown. | And lawmakers on Tuesday approved a procedural vote that set the top spending levels for negotiating spending bills for the next fiscal year — allowing appropriators to begin working on legislation that would fund the government through 2020. Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said earlier in the day that he plans to push for spending bills to be completed by the end of June to avoid another shutdown. |
| Ultimately, the spending limits put forward by Mr. Yarmuth and Ms. Lowey could not secure the necessary 218 votes because of opposition from the Congressional Progressive Caucus and members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. In the hallway outside the chamber, representatives from the two groups stood just feet apart as they explained their different reasons for opposing the bill. | Ultimately, the spending limits put forward by Mr. Yarmuth and Ms. Lowey could not secure the necessary 218 votes because of opposition from the Congressional Progressive Caucus and members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. In the hallway outside the chamber, representatives from the two groups stood just feet apart as they explained their different reasons for opposing the bill. |
| “At some point, we’re going to have to pass something,” said Mr. Yarmuth, who made the decision not to hold a vote this week. “I’d love to do it as soon as possible.” | “At some point, we’re going to have to pass something,” said Mr. Yarmuth, who made the decision not to hold a vote this week. “I’d love to do it as soon as possible.” |
| Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, one of the leaders of the Progressive Caucus, had told leadership in a private meeting on Tuesday morning that the caucus had enough votes to kill the caps bill, according to two people familiar with the meeting. And members of the Progressive Caucus celebrated the delay in voting, with Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, a chairwoman of the caucus, calling it “a big victory.” | Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, one of the leaders of the Progressive Caucus, had told leadership in a private meeting on Tuesday morning that the caucus had enough votes to kill the caps bill, according to two people familiar with the meeting. And members of the Progressive Caucus celebrated the delay in voting, with Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, a chairwoman of the caucus, calling it “a big victory.” |
| “It became clear that without real, strong progressive inclusion into the process of a bill, we’re not going to be able to get there,” Ms. Jayapal said. “Hopefully, everyone understands that the best chance of success for a united caucus is for us to be consulted and to be at the table.” | “It became clear that without real, strong progressive inclusion into the process of a bill, we’re not going to be able to get there,” Ms. Jayapal said. “Hopefully, everyone understands that the best chance of success for a united caucus is for us to be consulted and to be at the table.” |
| Anticipating difficult negotiations with the Republican-controlled Senate, some liberals argued that the House should pass legislation that spends less on the military and more on domestic programs, understanding that those numbers would have to adjust as talks progress. | Anticipating difficult negotiations with the Republican-controlled Senate, some liberals argued that the House should pass legislation that spends less on the military and more on domestic programs, understanding that those numbers would have to adjust as talks progress. |
| “I don’t understand why we want to concede before waging the battle,” said Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California and a vice chairman of the Progressive Caucus. “You don’t wave the white flag of surrender before a single shot has fired.” | “I don’t understand why we want to concede before waging the battle,” said Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California and a vice chairman of the Progressive Caucus. “You don’t wave the white flag of surrender before a single shot has fired.” |
| Members of the caucus had also raised concerns about what they said was an imbalance between military and domestic spending during meetings this month, according to aides familiar with the conversations but unauthorized to discuss them publicly. | Members of the caucus had also raised concerns about what they said was an imbalance between military and domestic spending during meetings this month, according to aides familiar with the conversations but unauthorized to discuss them publicly. |
| The bill, which scraped through the Budget Committee, would raise the limits on domestic spending by 5.7 percent, to $631 billion in fiscal 2020 and $646 billion in fiscal 2021, compared to a 2.6 percent increase in military spending. Military limits would still rise, to $664 billion in the next fiscal year and $680 billion in fiscal 2021. | The bill, which scraped through the Budget Committee, would raise the limits on domestic spending by 5.7 percent, to $631 billion in fiscal 2020 and $646 billion in fiscal 2021, compared to a 2.6 percent increase in military spending. Military limits would still rise, to $664 billion in the next fiscal year and $680 billion in fiscal 2021. |
| Mr. Yarmuth and his allies faced additional pressure from the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, which balked at the decision to pass on a budget blueprint. | Mr. Yarmuth and his allies faced additional pressure from the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, which balked at the decision to pass on a budget blueprint. |
| Blue Dogs warned that the coalition would collectively block planned amendments from liberals that would increase domestic spending in the bill even further to win over the votes of Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Pocan and other liberals, according to a senior Democratic aide. | Blue Dogs warned that the coalition would collectively block planned amendments from liberals that would increase domestic spending in the bill even further to win over the votes of Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Pocan and other liberals, according to a senior Democratic aide. |
| “Any budget needed to hue toward fiscal responsibility, particularly at a time when we’re sitting at a $22 trillion debt,” said Representative Stephanie Murphy, Democrat of Florida and chairwoman of the Blue Dog Coalition. “It’s one of the key responsibilities of Congress.” | “Any budget needed to hue toward fiscal responsibility, particularly at a time when we’re sitting at a $22 trillion debt,” said Representative Stephanie Murphy, Democrat of Florida and chairwoman of the Blue Dog Coalition. “It’s one of the key responsibilities of Congress.” |
| On Tuesday, the group endorsed a constitutional amendment put forward by one of its freshman members, Representative Ben McAdams, Democrat of Utah, that would bar the federal government from spending more than it receives in a single fiscal year, except in the case of war or recession. The balanced budget amendment has been pushed by Republicans for decades. | On Tuesday, the group endorsed a constitutional amendment put forward by one of its freshman members, Representative Ben McAdams, Democrat of Utah, that would bar the federal government from spending more than it receives in a single fiscal year, except in the case of war or recession. The balanced budget amendment has been pushed by Republicans for decades. |
| “It’s clearer than ever that the only way Congress will be able to produce a balanced budget is if it is required to do so by law,” said Representative Lou Correa, Democrat of California and a co-chairman of the coalition, in a statement. “Washington needs to have a serious, bipartisan discussion about our nation’s fiscal state.” | |
| There will be no more votes until April 29. Democrats are to spend three days at a Virginia retreat meant to help members bond before joining the rest of the House for a two-week spring recess. | There will be no more votes until April 29. Democrats are to spend three days at a Virginia retreat meant to help members bond before joining the rest of the House for a two-week spring recess. |