Hoyer Statement on Reports Republicans Will Use "Anomalies" To Bypass Defense Spending Budget Caps

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today on reports that Republicans may use "anomalies" to allow Defense Department spending to bypass Congressional budget caps: 

“I am disquieted by reports that Republicans are considering the use of ‘anomalies’ in their continuing resolution as a backdoor to allow the Pentagon to spend more, while other agencies are left to struggle.  For months, Democrats have called for negotiations on spending caps to address defense and other funding priorities.  Instead, Republicans wasted Congress’s time on a dangerous, deficit-busting tax bill while ignoring the pressing need to fund the entire government for the year.  This use of anomalies is a shameless attempt to play politics with our national security, dangerously ignoring the important role that agencies other than the Pentagon play in protecting our country – from the Department of Homeland Security to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to our diplomatic missions abroad. 

“That is just one of the many reasons why Congress has followed the principle of parity in the last several budget agreements – and why it should continue to do so.  Republicans need to sit down with Democrats to reach a bipartisan compromise on long-term spending levels in order to provide clarity and certainty to our military and to our domestic programs.  Otherwise, Congress risks putting our national security and economic competitiveness in danger.”