Schweitzer: GOP Leaders should accept responsibility for the government shutdown

Article 1 of the Constitution vests in Congress the sole authority to appropriate money. Each year, Congress and the President are required to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund the government for the next year by September 30. The current Republican-controlled House only requires a simple majority to pass a bill, yet not one appropriations bill has been agreed upon by both chambers. In fact, only three of the 12 appropriations bills have been passed out of the House. 

Instead of focusing their energy on passing the 12 appropriations bills needed to fund government, Congress has spent much of their time passing a budget reconciliation bill that the President wanted. He likes to call it the “one big, beautiful bill.” Many refer to it as the Budget Busting Bill, as it raised the debt limit by five trillion dollars. It cut taxes for the wealthiest by over four trillion dollars. It will kick more than 10 million Americans off health insurance and cut nearly one trillion from Medicaid, resulting in 15 million people losing Medicaid coverage. It cut $300 billion from food nutrition programs that help feed 42 million Americans, mostly children. It cut investment in conservation programs and renewable energy, while raising subsidies for fossil fuels and lowering federal royalties for coal and other fossil fuels. 

All of these cuts will cause dire impacts for farms, ranches and rural communities in Montana.

Bottom line: The budget reconciliation bill will lower the average income for all Americans except the Top 1%. This reconciliation bill barely passed, as several Republicans voted against it and required the Vice President to break the tie in the Senate.

Sadly, the juncture at which we find ourselves – a federal shutdown with no reauthorized Farm Bill, which expired Sept. 30 – further erodes our food security.

Because members of Congress and the White House have been unable to work out budget details, other work critical to the family farm remains in limbo as well. For example, finalizing a potential plan for emergency payments to offset the devastating impact of tariffs and conservation payments for producers being delayed, while chronically understaffed USDA offices fall further behind in providing technical support for producers.

I repeat:  The Republicans control the White House, Senate, and the House. When the Republicans can’t pass their own appropriations bills out of the House, it is ludicrous to blame anyone but themselves.

Every one of Montana’s Congressional Delegation is Republican.

Ask them to use their power as the majority to do their job.   

Schweitzer is President of Montana Farmers Union, a grassroots organization supporting family farmers and ranchers through education, legislation, and cooperation. He ranches near Geyser.