U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine’s 1st District says the House is wasting time on what some are calling a mini-omnibus bill that just funds a few federal agencies.
She says House Republican leaders are forcing a vote on a bill that ignores the overall budget law, and that they know the Senate will not even consider the measure, because it fails to deal with required spending caps.
“It kind of becomes political theater. It’s also hampered by the fact the Republicans can’t come to an agreement on their overall budget,” she says.
Pingree says that’s important, because once an overall spending limit is agreed to, funding has to be negotiated for each of the 12 spending bills. She says she’s worried that time is running out, as the current federal budget expires on Sept. 30 and the House is taking off for most of the month of August.
