New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler took to the House floor Tuesday to fiercely rebuke Democrats for what he called “a bunch of lies” surrounding a continuing resolution (CR) bill aimed at keeping the government funded.
In a fiery speech laced with a nod to Seinfeld’s George Costanza—“It’s not a lie if you believe it”—Lawler accused his Democratic colleagues of peddling misinformation about the legislation, which he insisted safeguards key programs while trimming unnecessary spending.
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Lawler passionately defended the CR, which sets fiscal year 2025 discretionary spending at $1.658 trillion, a $7 billion reduction from the $1.665 trillion allocated in fiscal year 2024. He dismissed Democratic claims that the bill slashes funding for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or veterans’ programs, asserting that these are “fully funded and protected.”
The $7 billion cut, he explained, stems from the removal of Community Project Funding already disbursed in the prior fiscal year. “Why would we pay for projects that have already been paid for?” Lawler asked rhetorically. “We are saving seven billion dollars by removing it, as it should be.”
The congressman framed the bill as a pragmatic necessity to avoid a government shutdown, a stance he said he maintained even during President Joe Biden’s tenure.
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“When Joe Biden was president of the United States, I voted every time to keep the government funded and open,” Lawler declared. “The idea that we’re going to shut it down because the priorities changed—well, guess what? The administration changed. That’s the reality of elections.”
Lawler pointed to Donald Trump’s November victory, alongside Republican gains in the House and Senate, as a mandate for shifting budgetary priorities. Yet he stressed that keeping the government operational remains non-negotiable.
He laid blame for the current funding scramble at the feet of Senate Democrats, particularly Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, whom he accused of failing to pass a single appropriations bill in the Senate last year.
“They passed exactly zero appropriations bills on the Senate floor—zero,” Lawler said. “There was nothing to negotiate. Chuck Schumer failed in his responsibilities.”
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The New York representative urged swift passage of the CR through the House, calling on the Senate to “do its job” and avert a shutdown. His remarks underscored a broader GOP narrative that Democrats are obstructing governance out of partisan spite following their electoral losses. “Why anyone would vote to shut the government down is beyond me,” he added, emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation despite the shifting political landscape.
As Congress races against the clock to finalize funding, Lawler’s speech highlighted the contentious divide over fiscal responsibility and government operations. With the CR now in the spotlight, all eyes turn to the Senate, where the bill’s fate—and the government’s—hangs in the
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