Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.), the newly elected chair of the Republican Most important Avenue Caucus within the Home, is gearing up for the subsequent large battle in Congress: How you can fund the federal government earlier than the Sept. 30 deadline, ideally whereas avoiding a stopgap measure.
“I’m giving voice to a caucus of people that are reliably there to do the right thing, and a large number of appropriators. Why serve on [the] Appropriations [Committee] if we’re going to govern with CRs?” Flood mentioned in an interview Wednesday, referring to a seamless decision (CR) to fund the federal government at present ranges. “And why live under the Biden White House’s priorities?”
Flood was elected chair of the Most important Avenue Caucus earlier this month after Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), who had been the group’s chair since 2023, stepped down as he ramps up a gubernatorial run. Earlier than becoming a member of Congress in 2022, Flood was the Speaker of Nebraska’s state Legislature and based what’s now one of many largest media operations in Nebraska.
The federal government funding battle can be Flood’s first take a look at in his new function.
Congress in March permitted a measure to increase authorities funding at ranges set through the Biden administration, with leaders arguing it will give extra time for the brand new Republican trifecta to hash out funding particulars.
Time is operating brief, although. The Home, which is out till September, has permitted simply two of 12 common appropriations payments. Chatter is rising a few persevering with decision, presumably even a full-year measure that doesn’t improve spending — a proposal that Home Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) signaled he’s open to.
“I actually hate the idea of talking about a CR,” Flood countered, noting that there are lots of members of the Home Appropriations Committee in his group.
“We can still arrive at a final spot, and I would think it’s in the Democrats’ best interest to find common ground with us. Because if we end up in some kind of a government shutdown situation, their nemesis, President Trump, has pretty broad powers as it relates to federal spending when Congress fails to do its job,” Flood mentioned.
Additionally hanging over the funding course of is the specter of White Home funds chief Russell Vought eyeing “pocket rescissions,” or a request to claw again funding so late within the fiscal yr that funding expires earlier than Congress can act.
Requested about that gambit, Flood pointed to Congress’s energy of the purse.
“Our Constitution isn’t designed to have the executive branch controlling spending. It’s designed to have the Congress do it. And why sign up for this job if you don’t want to do that work?” Flood mentioned.
The Most important Avenue Caucus is product of self-described “pragmatic” Republicans, with members starting from blue-state moderates to deep-red district conservatives. Stylistically, it attracts a stark distinction with the confrontational, no-holds-barred Freedom Caucus.
However regardless of garnering much less consideration as its members veer towards institutional accountability, Most important Avenue, which contains 83 members, has emerged in the previous few years as a key behind-the-scenes power within the Home Republican Convention.
Over the primary half of this yr, that meant being deeply concerned in crafting the “big, beautiful bill” of President Trump’s tax minimize and spending priorities.
“As it relates to protecting Medicaid, I think we were a key voice at the table,” Flood mentioned in regards to the group’s involvement. “The president wanted to protect Medicaid. We wanted to protect Medicaid.”
The group pushed laborious for the inclusion of the $50 billion rural well being fund that can distribute funds throughout states with the intention of defending rural hospitals threatened by reforms and cuts to Medicaid within the megabill.
The race is now on to fill the Most important Avenue Caucus’s open vice chair function, which Flood beforehand held — and there may be ample curiosity within the place. The contenders for that place to this point, Flood mentioned, are Reps. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) and Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), with a caucus election set for Sept. 3.
Flood mentioned the curiosity within the caucus’s vice chair slot exhibits how influential the Most important Avenue Caucus has turn out to be. The group has grown from round 50 members when Flood joined Congress in 2022 to greater than one-third of the GOP convention.
There are usually 50 or 60 members at its weekly assembly, Flood mentioned — which regularly options White Home officers like Vitality Secretary Chris Wright and Federal Communications Fee Chair Brendan Carr. White Home deputy chief of workers Stephen Miller is slated to go to the group quickly as effectively.
“We have leaders that are going to make a real imprint on the future of Congress,” Flood mentioned. “My goal is to continue what Dusty did and lift up our members to put all of us in a position to be engaging on every corner.”
