Congressman Dan Newhouse was listed as “not voting” on the controversial spending bill that failed in the U.S. House on Thursday. Unless a vote is passed to continue funding for the federal government, services will shut down.
Another vote is expected today.
Newhouse has not responded to a request for comment.
The bill backed by billionaire Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump, called a continuing resolution, would have extended funding through mid-March for government programs that were not funded during the legislative session. It failed by a vote of 174 to 235. Twenty members, including Newhouse, were listed as “not voting.” The bill required a two-thirds vote to pass.
The Musk/Trump backed bill extended the farm subsidies for one year and provided new disaster aid and eliminated the debt ceiling for two years. The debt ceiling provision seemed to give members the most heartburn.
Some sources, Fox News and Newsweek, list the 38 Republican congressmembers who voted against the spending measure but not the 9 Republicans and 11 Democrats who did not vote.
In the November election Trump endorsed Newhouse’s opponent Jerrod Sessler. At that time House Speaker Mike Johnson came out to Washington’s 4th Congressional District to campaign for Newhouse.
Newhouse is one of only two current Republican members of Congress who voted to impeach Trump in 2021.
Good for him. A politically wise decision.
Hi Mary, Yes, he’s good at that. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
Good decision, from the sound of it the Trump team tried to add 5$ trillion in debt to us and keep ceiling open! Get ready for the big Billionaire’s waste of American taxpayers money. They never intended to lower the debt it looks like now. I bet they will just move money around to their Shell Companies providing whatever new government service they make up. Can you believe this after Trump’s people increase debt $4 trillion last time in office. I can’t believe it, someone tell me I’m wrong because the man’s not even in office and he wants to take our money?
Hastings has to hide because he’s one of two who voted to impeach still left in office. I’m sure Trump and company will pay our area back by reducing funding to make us vote for his Person who will serve him and not us apparently.
Hi Mike, I appreciate your comment. This budget vote was a throw away like his vote on impeachment. Neither one affected the outcome. Newhouse is good at throwing in a vote like this while almost 100% supporting Trump. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
Yeah, this is why we pay him a base salary of $174,000 per anuum so he can duck important votes like this one.
Hi rmw06, I appreciate your comment. I’ve always heard that we need to keep the salaries up so the members won’t be tempted to do something illegal for money. I couldn’t tell you how much money that is. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
One of only 2 Congressmen remaining who voted to impeach trump. That’s an unenviable place for him to be, I’ll say that. I see MAnY folks since 2021 who claim he’s a “RINO”, but really, aside from voting “against” Trump in that impeachment vote, he’s pretty clearly a Republican. Given the nature of the actions of the Jan 2021 group, I’d suggest either Republicans or Democrats should be quite strongly against them.
Hi Jim, I appreciate your comment. I’ve always looked at the impeachment vote as a bone to Democrats who have saved his bacon three times now. The impeachment was going to pass in the Democratic House anyway. His yes vote didn’t affect the outcome. I look at the vote on the continuing resolution the same way. It was going to fail so he didn’t need to stick his neck out. and vote to raise the debt ceiling. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy