‘We have to be able to walk and chew gum’ on government spending, says budget chairman, addressing both debt crisis and national security demands

Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, is seen during the House Budget Committee markup of the "Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2025," (Credit: Tom Williams—CQ–Roll Call Inc./Getty Images)

The U.S. government has a lot to pay for at the moment: In addition to mandatory spending like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, it has also needs to fund its military endeavors. First came Venezuela, a relatively brief period of intervention; but the U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran has dragged on longer than expected.

Agreeing on budget packages hasn’t been Congress’s strong point during the second Trump administration: Already, there has been a government shutdown, and a significant portion of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is still closed owing to the fact that spending to reopen it hasn’t been approved.

The demands on Treasury finances are a tightrope policymakers are going to have to learn to walk effectively, House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington said in a recent interview, suggesting that reconciliation (a budget procedure vote allowing for a simple majority of 51) may be the quickest way to ensure funding for DHS and prevent similar snags in the future.

Speaking on CNBC, the Texas Republican said: “I think what would be better, if we could do it, is just take the whole kit and caboodle and use reconciliation to fund Homeland so we don’t establish the precedent of picking and choosing departments and agencies and offices.