The message Republicans should be repeating over and over again is:
1) The House has passed a budget as required by the Constitution which requires appropriation bills to originate in the House. This budget will keep the government running if the Senate and President approve the budget. If the Senate declines to approve the budget, the Senate has made the decision to shut down the government. If the Senate approve, and the president vetos the bill, it is the president who is shutting down the government.
2) If the Senate or the White House has specific items they wish to add to the appropriations bill, or delete from the budget, the House will submit each item to a separate vote in the House. If the House votes for the item, the bill will be sent to the Senate for that item. If the House votes no, it will not be included in any future appropriations bill for 2024.
3) If a government shutdown occurs due to inaction by the Senate or a veto by the president, the House should simply keep resubmitting its appropriations bill to the Senate stating passing the bill will end the shutdown.
The only choice is to hang tough. Agreeing to another omnibus spending bill written by staff and lobbyists and passed without any review is just another nail in the coffin of the Republic. If they are going to cave, they should just cave now. Let the Dems write the appropriations bill, pass the bill, send it to the Senate and continue the spending orgy. This is the cross to die on for the Republican Congress.
“The only choice is to hang tough. Agreeing to another omnibus spending bill written by staff and lobbyists and passed without any review is just another nail in the coffin of the Republic. If they are going to cave, they should just cave now. Let the Dems write the appropriations bill, pass the bill, send it to the Senate and continue the spending orgy. This is the cross to die on for the Republican Congress.”
I like your procedure idea and message also.
I am sending this to my two senators, both dems. See if I get anything back