OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is calling for the GOP to focus on winning some policies rather than squabbling over budget items.
During an interview on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Jordan noted that there’s less than a week until the government funding deadline. The House has only introduced four appropriations bills to establish the government’s budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. There are eight more that have yet to move forward.
The Ohio Republican also suggested possibly including something in a spending bill that may eliminate or reduce funding for Special Counsel Jack Smith’s operation.
“Well, there’s been, there’s been a fight over the number. What level we’re actually going to fund at? Look, I want to reduce spending too. I know what the debt problem is. But in a divided government, there’s been a number that’s agreed on to fund the government,” Jordan said.
“And frankly, it’s less than the year before, which is, which is a huge step when you got divided when, when, when we control one-half of one-third of the government by five votes. And we’ve actually got to negotiate a number that’s less than Joe Biden and the Democrats spent last year. I think that’s a win. So let’s hold on to that number if we can. There’s some, there’s some debate within our conference, and I get that, let’s hold on to that number if we can. But let’s win the policies,” he added.
“The other policy frankly, we should consider putting on these bills is the policy that says you can’t, you can’t fund the attack on your political opponent, which is exactly what Joe Biden is doing when he’s funding this Jack Smith operation going after his political opponent,” Jordan continued.
Jordan also spoke about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Since President Joe Biden took office, an estimated two million immigrants have entered the country and been released.
According to the most recent report from Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency program dedicated to combating illegal border crossings along the Texas border, over 457,500 illegal immigrant apprehensions have occurred since March 2021.
“Well, everyone wants to get the 12 appropriation bills done. I’m all for that, that’s how we should operate, but, frankly, we’re not going to get it done in the next six days, so there’s going to have to be some stopgap measure,” Jordan said.
“The speaker has said: ‘Let’s go for a 30-day [continuing resolution], but let’s win some policies when we do it, let’s do something that actually benefits the entire country.’ And everyone knows what that issue is. This is literally politics 101. One really good issue beats fifteen pretty good issues every single time, and the one really good issue right now is the problem on our border,” he explained.
“And, again, Maria, if we say no money can be used to process or release any new migrants into the country, we’re going to stop it, we’re going to fix the problem, we send it over there, and Chuck Schumer says no to it, then he’s in essence saying it’s more important to shut down the government than it is to secure our border,” Jordan reasoned as he explained what will likely transpire this week. “I don’t think the American people are there.”
Jordan expressed confidence that the four appropriation bills that have already passed but have yet to be voted on will cover “the bulk of the spending.”
The four are the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, as well as bills for agriculture, state operations, and foreign operations.
Congress has until September 30 to fund the government before it shuts down.
