House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) blasted leadership’s decision to pull a transportation and housing bill off the floor on Wednesday, after severe cuts included in the legislation prompted the defection of a group of Republican moderates.
“I am extremely disappointed with the decision to pull the bill from the House calendar today,” Rogers said in a statement. “The prospects for passing this bill in September are bleak at best, given the vote count on passage that was apparent this afternoon. With this action, the House has declined to proceed on the implementation of the very budget it adopted just three months ago.
“Thus, I believe that the House has made its choice: sequestration – and its unrealistic and ill-conceived discretionary cuts – must be brought to an end,” he added. “And, it is also clear that the higher funding levels advocated by the Senate are also simply not achievable in this Congress.”
Lawmakers will have just nine legislative days after a month-long August recess to pass legislation effectively funding the government past September.
