Eastern district Rep. Matt Rosendale voted against the funding measures this week, aimed at keeping the federal government open, while western district Rep. Ryan Zinke warned that a shutdown would cause more harm. Rosendale, concluding a four-year term representing Montana, opposed a Republican-sponsored resolution to extend government funding through March. In contrast, Zinke supported extending funds into the first two months of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, starting in late January.
The House, after several attempts, voted 366 to 34 to maintain government funding late Friday, with Rosendale among the dissenters and Zinke voting in favor. The Senate had not yet passed the measure by 5 p.m. Friday. Zinke expressed concern that shutting down the government would empower the executive branch to harm citizens for political motives, claiming, “It doesn’t save any money. It actually costs more money, because when you shut down the government, eventually the government has to be restarted.”
Rosendale stated he has never supported a continuing resolution and would not begin now, asserting that the measure would continue the 2022 budget’s terms, approved by a Democratic-controlled Congress and signed by President Joe Biden. He criticized governing through emergencies rather than adhering to the appropriations process specified by statute, claiming it perpetuates Biden’s policies and Pelosi’s spending levels.
Rosendale consistently advocates for an annual budget through the “regular order” process as outlined in the 1974 Budget Act. However, Congress has completed this process only four times since 1977. Rosendale and seven Republicans voted with Democrats in October 2023 to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, criticizing his failure to pass a budget using this method. Initially hopeful for Speaker Mike Johnson, Rosendale noted no budget had materialized.
Zinke, part of the House Appropriations Committee, indicated House Republicans have been progressing toward a comprehensive federal budget. In 2023, lawmakers advanced eight of the 12 bills through committee. An initial bipartisan proposal faced unexpected opposition from Elon Musk, tasked by Trump to enhance government efficiency, who used social media platform X to campaign against the first continuing resolution attempt. Read more about Musk’s involvement here.
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