"Congress Nears Funding Deal Amid Shutdown Fears and GOP's 'Devastating' Cut Proposals"
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned of significant automatic cuts to nonmilitary federal spending if Congress fails to pass full-year government funding bills for 2024, as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are pushing for lower spending levels and stringent anti-immigrant policies, risking cuts that would reduce nondefense spending from $777 billion to $736 billion, while military spending would slightly decrease from $860 billion to $850 billion. Democrats, including Rep. Brendan Boyle, criticize this approach as harmful and irresponsible, emphasizing the need for Congress to fulfill its duty to pass appropriate funding bills and avoid unnecessary austerity measures.