With the March 14 government funding deadline looming, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) spearheaded a coalition of 21 Republican lawmakers in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), pressing them to block Democratic efforts that could derail President Donald Trump’s push to slash “wasteful” federal spending.
The move underscores Trump’s mandate to shrink government amid a $36 trillion national debt crisis, with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the helm of his reform agenda.
READ: Stephen A. Smith Questions Andrew Cuomo On ‘Nursing Home Crisis’ — He Rants For 5 Minutes
“We stand ready to work with you to ensure that the government remains open in a way that preserves President Trump’s options to root out wasteful government spending,” the lawmakers wrote, joined by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Mike Lee (R-UT), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Brandon Gill (R-TX), Mark Harris (R-NC), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Barry Moore (R-AL), and Ralph Norman (R-SC). They warned that Democrats are angling to lock in “unsustainable” spending, thwarting DOGE’s mission to freeze bloat and expose fiscal excess.
Trump, who reclaimed the White House vowing to dismantle Washington’s broken status quo, has leaned on DOGE—co-led by Elon Musk—to spotlight cuts, like the $2 billion climate fund probe EPA launched Monday.
“The President has wasted no time,” the letter states, contrasting his urgency with “recent reports of Democrats’ demands” that could “tie the hands” of his administration.
READ: Conservative Influencers Tout Epstein Files As Bondi Solders FBI, Patel For Holding Back
The group accuses Democrats of favoring a shutdown over accountability, a charge echoing Trump’s Monday tariff salvo against Mexico and Canada—25% duties now live—to choke fentanyl flows.
“Any attempt to use government funding legislation to dilute the President’s constitutional authority … must be rejected outright,” the lawmakers insisted, nodding to a GOP trifecta poised to flex muscle. Thune and Johnson, fresh off December’s two-step reconciliation pledge with Scott and Harris to secure borders and extend Trump’s tax cuts, face a tightrope: fund the government sans shutdown while dodging Democratic traps. The House’s 218-215 edge means no room for error, and the Senate’s 53-47 split demands unity.
READ: Mexico’s Sheinbaum Fires Back: Retaliatory Tariffs Loom As Trump’s 25% Duties Hit
Democrats, led by figures like Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), signal resistance, decrying DOGE as a “gimmick” and pushing to shield programs like Medicaid from the $2.5 trillion in cuts Scott’s team eyes.
With stocks wobbly—down 2% Monday—and Trump’s Ukraine aid pause stoking global nerves, the funding fight’s a high-stakes test. “Our country cannot afford to allow Democrats to frustrate President Trump’s work,” the letter concludes, setting the stage for a showdown as the clock ticks to March 14.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
