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GOP Leaders Want Spending Freeze

House Republican leaders on Monday called for an across-the-board government spending freeze, just days before the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill is set to hit the floor.

“Rather than hastily forcing another massive, partisan spending bill through the House, we urge the Majority to allow the House to consider a spending freeze,” the GOP leaders wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “At a time of deficits, a freeze would allow the federal government to keep functioning at current spending levels without requiring beleaguered taxpayers to pay for new spending increases.”

The letter, signed by Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) and Policy Chairman Thaddeaus McCotter (Mich.), also called for Democratic leaders to post the omnibus spending bill online so that they and the public can review its contents.

The omnibus appropriations bill could be voted on in the House as early as Wednesday, Pence said during a meeting with reporters.

Last week, Republicans assailed Democrats for failing to post the contents of the $827 billion stimulus package online at least 48 hours before the House vote. The bill cleared, but without the support of any GOP House Members. Many Republicans cited a lack of time for reviewing the 1,073-page package as the reason for their opposition.

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