2017: Schweikert Voted For A One-Week Continuing Resolution . In April 2017, Schweikert voted for a one-week continuing resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have "extend[ed] continuing appropriations for federal government operations through May 5, 2017. It would also [have] provide[d] for an extension, through May 5, of health care benefits for retired coal miners." The vote was on passage. The House passed the joint resolution by a vote of 382 to 30. The Senate later agreed to the legislation by voice vote and the president signed it into law. [House Vote 236, 4/28/17; Congressional Quarterly, 4/28/17; Congressional Actions, H.J. Res. 99]
2016: Schweikert Voted For A Continuing Resolution Funding The Government Through April 28, 2017; Legislation Included Expedited Senate Consideration For A Waiver For President-Elect Trump To Appoint James Mattis The Defense Secretary, Funding For The Flint Water Crisis And Funding For Anti-Opioid Addiction Grants. In December 2016, Schweikert voted for an FY 2017 continuing resolution funding the government through April 28, 2017. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have "provide[d] funding for federal government operations through April 28, 2017, at an annualized discretionary rate of $1.07 trillion. The measure also would [have] provide[d] $170 million in response to the lead-contaminated drinking water system in Flint, Mich., including $100 million in capitalization grants for EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund that the city could use to repair its drinking water infrastructure. It also would [have] provide[d] $872 million for medical research and anti-opioid addiction grants and would [have] transfer[ed] a net $45 million to support extending health benefits for retired coal miners for four months. It would [have] provide[d] $10.1 billion in additional Overseas Contingency Operations funds for the Defense Department and certain other security-related accounts. The measure also would [have] provide[d] for expedited Senate consideration of legislation that would exempt President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Defense secretary, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, from a requirement for seven years to have passed before retired military officers can be the Pentagon chief." The vote was on concurring in the Senate amendment with an amendment. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 326 to 96 and the Senate later did, sending the bill to President Obama, who signed it into law. [House Vote 620, 12/8/16; Congressional Quarterly, 12/9/16; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2028]
2017: Schweikert Voted For A Budget Resolution Designed To Begin The Process Of Repealing The Affordable Care Act, Which Also Assumes A $9 Trillion Increase In The Federal Debt Over The Next Ten Years. In January 2017, Schweikert voted for a budget resolution designed to begin reconciliation instructions to repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, "the proposed 10-year spending framework culminates in a $1 trillion annual deficit and adds about $9 trillion to the national debt." The vote was on passage. The House passed the budget resolution by a vote of 227 to 198. The Senate had already passed the resolution. [House Vote 58, 1/13/17; Congressional Quarterly, 1/4/17; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 3]
2017: Schweikert Voted To Shut The Government Down . In May 2017, Schweikert voted against the FY 2017 omnibus appropriations bill that would keep much of the government open and would have provided $1.16 trillion in discretionary spending. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have "provide[d] $1.16 trillion in discretionary appropriations through Sept. 30, 2017 for federal departments and agencies covered by the remaining 11 fiscal 2017 spending bills. [...] The measure would also [have] provide[d] $608 million for health benefits for retired coal miners, $296 million for Medicaid payments to Puerto Rico, and $341 million to replace 40 miles of existing fencing along the southwestern border, though the designs of the fencing must have been 'previously deployed'." The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendments. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 309 to 118. The Senate later also agreed to the legislation, sending the bill to the president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 249, 5/3/17; Congressional Quarterly, 5/4/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 244]
Funding For The Federal Government Would Have Expired On May 5. According to Congressional Quarterly, "With the April 28 expiration of government funding approaching, Congress late last week enacted a one-week extension of the CR through Friday, May 5, to give negotiators time to work out remaining issues and for Congress to consider the omnibus measure." [Congressional Quarterly, 5/2/17]
The Legislation Did Not Include '160 Poison Pill Riders.' According to Roll Call, "Appearing with Schumer on Monday afternoon, Leahy said the way Democrats 'were able to knock out 160 poison pill riders --- 160 --- in [the GOP's] proposal demonstrates that, at least among the grown-ups in both parties, in both bodies, they wanted to get down to doing it the way we are supposed to.'" [Roll Call, 5/2/17]
Legislation Did Not Include A Dollar For Dollar Increase In Defense And Non-Defense Spending. According to The Hill, "Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is touting this week's budget deal for breaking the rule that Democrats enforced under President Obama: Every dollar in increased defense spending had to be matched by a dollar increase for nondefense discretionary programs. 'Under the Obama rules, if you wanted to help the military, if you wanted a pay raise for the soldiers, if you wanted to buy new airplanes and new ships and more munitions, a dollar for that, you had to have a dollar domestic spending. We just broke that parity,' Ryan said at a press conference Tuesday morning. 'That's the biggest victory we could have had --- $25 billion year over year for our military, to begin to rebuild our military, without that kind of corresponding increase in domestic discretionary spending. That, to me, is very important,' he added." [The Hill, 5/2/17]
2016: Schweikert Voted Against A Continuing Resolution Funding The Government Through December 9, 2016, But Without Aid For Flint, Michigan. In September 2016, Schweikert voted against a ten week continuing resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation was a "continuing resolution [...] that keeps the government running through Dec. 9." In addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, "Democrats and Republicans appear to be locked in a staring contest over the lack of government assistance for Flint, Mich., in a stopgap spending bill, with aides on both sides suggesting they're waiting for the other side to blink. Democrats roundly criticized a GOP written continuing resolution filed Thursday by Senate Republicans, but the measure actually met many of the spending and policy demands Democrats had made throughout weeks of negotiations --- except for a Flint response. Their central objection to the stopgap is the inclusion of flood relief for Louisiana and likely other states without also providing aid for Flint to address major problems caused by lead contamination in the city water supply." The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the motion, effectively passing the bill by a vote of 342 to 85. The Senate had already passed the legislation. The president then signed the bill into law. [House Vote 573, 9/28/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/23/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/26/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/22/16; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 5082; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5325]