Tensions over troop pay are taking center stage as the shutdown heads into Week 4.
A number of Republican lawmakers are uneasy with President Donald Trump once again sidestepping the legislative branch’s power of the purse, this time to keep paying members of the military.
“While it’s a desired outcome, there’s a process that’s required — by Constitution and by law — for Congress to be not only consulted but engaged,” says Sen. Jerry Moran, a GOP appropriator from Kansas.
“There’s a way we take care of this. It’s called appropriations. It’s called reprogramming. And I don’t think that process is being respected,” says Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), another member of the Appropriations Committee.
Per two White House officials granted anonymity to share plans, Trump will continue to tap alternative funding for military paychecks if Congress doesn’t pass a bill before the next pay date at the end of the month. It’s unclear to top congressional appropriators how much cash the White House believes is available for use, and the administration has not submitted requests to Capitol Hill to reprogram any money.
Senators are poised to get a vote on paying the military and some other federal workers this week, via a bill from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). Democrats are expected to block it from moving ahead. Senate GOP leaders are also considering holding another vote this week on a defense appropriations bill, after it failed to get enough Democratic support to pass on Thursday.
The White House is hunting for money to address other shortfalls to support politically popular programs, including key loans for farmers (a priority for Senate Majority Leader John Thune), according to two Trump officials and two senior Hill Republicans.
What else we’re watching:
— Republicans rally shutdown support: Johnson will host a call with House Republicans on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. as he tries to keep his conference united against Democrats and supportive of staying out of Washington until the Senate reopens the government. Also on Tuesday, Trump will host Republican lawmakers for lunch to thank them for sticking together during the shutdown and confirming nominees, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss the plans.
— North Carolina enters the redistricting fight: North Carolina Republicans are expected to approve a new congressional map for the state this week, endangering Democratic Rep. Don Davis. It will mark the state’s fourth map change in just five years and comes as Trump and national Republicans seek to shore up the GOP majority ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Jennifer Scholtes, Meredith Lee Hill, Jordain Carney and Calen Razor contributed to this report.
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