Last week Speaker Johnson released a new continuing resolution designed to avert a government shutdown. The continuing resolution was presented as a temporary measure designed to hold the line on expenditures yet the numbers in its text show a net rise in total federal spending. So, not only does the new CR not decrease federal spending at all, it increases it.
Key Facts:
- Approximately $13.6 billion is allocated in new budget authority, with around $3 billion rescinded from older accounts.
- The net result appears to be a $10.6 billion increase in federal spending.
- The bill directs much of the additional money toward defense missions, wildfire suppression, disaster response, and health programs.
- Some line items in education and labor are reduced, but these cuts do not offset the larger plus-ups.
- Final figures reveal that a substantial portion of these funds go beyond simple stopgap needs.
The Rest of The Story:
Speaker Johnson’s proposed continuing resolution extends federal funding through September 30, 2025.
It references many line items from the previous year’s budget, substituting new amounts for old ones.
In some cases, entire lines are zeroed out.
In others, new funds are added on top of existing programs.
Defense gains a sizable $8 billion in additional authority, and wildfire response accounts see more than $2.7 billion in new money.
There is also a rise of over $2 billion for specific Labor and Health and Human Services programs aimed at fraud prevention, reemployment services, and Social Security administration.
Even though the bill includes several rescissions, the final math shows that the net effect is an overall spending boost.
Congress must keep the government open so that DOGE can continue to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our government. This continuing resolution is necessary to advance President Trump's agenda.
I fully support it. pic.twitter.com/ch2EOZYidT
— Rep. Andy Harris, MD (@RepAndyHarrisMD) March 8, 2025
Commentary:
President Trump has asked that this bill be passed as it is the best that can be done at the moment.
We do not disagree with this but people need to be aware it expands rather than shrinks government.
The text repeatedly refers to expanded appropriations that conflict with the common call for leaner government.
On paper, the expectation was that continuing resolutions would hold the line or even trim spending.
This one, however, appears to do the opposite.
Claims of a streamlined government program, often referred to as DOGE, sound good until they clash with the reality of a net increase in federal outlays.
The resolution replaces or supplements older amounts in ways that add up to billions more than last year.
Calls for thrift are getting overshadowed by line items that keep growing.
Despite talk of constraint, the numbers suggest more government growth than contraction.
There may be short-term justifications for boosting funds in emergencies or other pressing areas, but it’s not clear how this reconciles with repeated pledges to reduce spending.
Some might argue that immediate defense and domestic priorities leave no choice, yet this approach leaves little sign of belt-tightening.
It also leaves taxpayers watching as the ledger grows.
A last-minute CR that was supposed to preserve the status quo now sends an opposite signal.
This measure’s text reveals that even a “limited” bill can end up increasing the government’s fiscal footprint.
The Bottom Line:
The resolution’s language shows a net rise of about $10.6 billion.
Even though it slashes some programs, it adds more money overall.
It demonstrates that commitments to shrink federal spending remain largely unmet.
The text itself shows a final outcome that boosts, rather than holds down, the budget.
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