Washington – Last night, in advance of the September 30 fiscal deadline, Senator Patty Murray and Rep. Rosa DeLauro released a short-term federal spending proposal that includes a key provision demanded by advocacy organizations across the country: a clear prohibition on future partisan rescissions that could be used to slash funding for critical food, water and health programs. Under the rescissions process, Congressional Republicans could unilaterally claw back funding approved in a bipartisan spending law with simple House and Senate majorities later on. Congressional Republicans utilized this procedural loophole earlier in the year to defund public television and radio, along with other popular programs. 

In a letter facilitated by Food & Water Watch and delivered to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier this month, more than 200 organizations from around the country demanded that Senate Democrats reject any federal appropriations bill that does not explicitly prohibit the subsequent use of the partisan rescission process.

In response, Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement: 

“We applaud Senator Murray and Representative DeLauro for offering a strong framework that would help rein in certain abuses of the Trump administration. We’re pleased to see Senator Schumer supporting this prudent spending proposal and taking a stand to protect food, water and health programs. Trump and his Congressional Republican cronies are hell-bent on defunding critical health and safety programs that protect all Americans. They recently used the rescissions loophole to unilaterally strip funding for popular programs that had already been signed into law. House Republicans have made it clear they intended to do this again. Senate Democrats must stand firm against partisan rescissions. Our country can’t afford another Schumer surrender.”