As the U.S. House takes up the first spending bill for the Fiscal Year 2013, the White House wasted no time in threatening to veto a $51.4 billion measure covering the Commerce and Justice Departments and other agencies like NASA.
In a statement, the White House said this spending bill and others from Republicans in the House would lead to "significant and harmful cuts to critical national priorities."
"If the President were presented with H.R. 5326, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill."
On the other side of the ball, Republicans argue this first spending bill is part of an overall effort to stem the tide of red ink at the federal level.
"Spending reductions are an essential component of putting the Nation on the path to economic recovery, job creation and financial security," argued Republicans in the House Appropriations Committee in their report on the bill.
(Take a peek at the report language, as you never know what you might learn. The first thing you will learn is that the important part is not the bill, but the report.)
Republicans say this plan cuts 37 different programs saving $300 million, part of $1.6 billion in spending reductions in this first of twelve budget bills to go through the Congress.
The Clerk Will Read
But past the numbers and arguments of both sides, the best part about this first bill is that we will get back to basics when it comes to legislating in the House of Representatives, as the floor will be open to any amendment - as long as it is germane (related to the bill).
Last year, many thought that would lead to big cuts in these spending bills, but those efforts were routinely defeated - and the same thing may happen this year.
Will there be any amenmdents to crack down on conference spending? How about to ban the hiring of magicians by NOAA or other agencies? (This is their bill after all.)
To consider the bill, the House resolves itself into what is known as "The Committee of the Whole, where members are recognized for five minutes each.
Lawmakers can get additional time either by unanimous consent, or by moving to "strike the last word" - which technically creates a new amendment, along with another motion, "strike the requisite number of words."
In February of 2011, the House actually considered a bill like that, and my younger colleagues here on the Hill had to ask around as to what was going on, since too many spending bills had been brought to the floor under restrictive rules for debate.
There is no better time on the floor of the House - no one knows when the next vote will be, no one knows whether a second degree amendment is coming.
It takes the House back to its roots.
At least until the majority decides there has been enough fooling around and they put the clamps on that wide open floor work.
"The clerk will read."
