The move comes as lawmakers face a tight deadline to fund federal agencies before the current stopgap measure expires.
The Louisiana Republican outlined a timeline that would bring multiple fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills to the House floor in the coming weeks. The schedule, which was shared with members of the Republican conference, prioritizes legislation covering defense, homeland security, and other key departments.
Scalise’s announcement marks a deliberate effort to move individual spending bills rather than a single omnibus package. The approach mirrors a strategy Republican leaders have long championed as a way to increase transparency and allow for more rigorous debate on federal funding priorities.
The schedule sets the stage for what is expected to be a contentious floor debate over spending levels. Hard-line conservatives have demanded deeper cuts than those negotiated in the bipartisan debt ceiling agreement, while Democrats have warned they will oppose any measure that violates the spending caps established in that deal.
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole has been working to shepherd the dozen annual spending bills through the committee process. Scalise’s vote calendar provides a roadmap for when those bills will receive consideration from the full chamber.
The timeline does not include a specific date for a final vote on a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. Leaders have indicated that such a stopgap measure may still be necessary if the regular appropriations process cannot be completed by the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
Republican leadership faces a narrow majority in the House, leaving little room for defections on party-line votes. Scalise’s schedule is seen as an attempt to build momentum and demonstrate that the conference can govern effectively ahead of the November elections.
Democratic leaders have criticized the Republican spending bills as insufficient, arguing they fail to meet the needs of American families. The coming floor votes are expected to test the unity of both parties as the deadline for funding the government draws closer.
