Reschenthaler at Somerset Chamber event: 'Time is running out' to avoid federal shutdown

Sep. 8—SOMERSET — As Chief Deputy Whip, U.S. Rep Guy Reschenthaler has his finger on the pulse on where lawmakers stand on every major Republican bill in Congress.

But even Reschenthaler, R-Washington County, said he can't predict how — or when — the government will find a spending solution to avoid a looming federal shutdown.

"Anybody who tells you how this is going to play out, they're lying," Reschenthaler told The Tribune-Democrat on Thursday after a lunch session with the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce at Oakhurst Grille.

By law, Congress has until Sept. 30 to adopt 12 "must-pass" appropriations bills required to fund core government operations for the 2024 fiscal year that begins October 1.

So far, just one has cleared the House.

A key part of the issue isn't just that Democrats and Republicans can't find a compromise — but that there's also disagreement within members of the Republican majority, he noted.

When it comes to major appropriations bills that every lawmaker knows will eventually be approved, there's a tendency to treat it like a Christmas tree, Reschenthaler said.

But in this case, the new fiscal year equivalent of "Christmas morning" could have terrible consequences — mass layoffs and a nationwide shutdown if lawmakers get too greedy and try to add too much.

"Everybody wants to put their tent project on (the bill package). And there are so many extraneous issues out there — impeachment and border security — that it's difficult to see what can be negotiated and how to move forward," he said, adding, "We're running low on time."

To Reschenthaler, there's a path to see major Republican priorities without bogging down the appropriations bills.

"I think there's enough evidence to move forward with an impeachment inquiry against (President Joe) Biden right now," he said, saying that should move forward on its own and should also include inquiries against others within Biden's administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

In the meantime, there needs to be an immediate focus on passing the Defense and Homeland Security appropriation bills.

"With Veterans Affairs already passed, if we can get those two bills through, that's 70% of the discretionary budget — and would put (House Speaker) Kevin McCarthy in position to negotiate with the Senate."

The Senate, meanwhile, was pressing forward separately toward votes on its own bills, with 12 initial proposals clearing subcommittees in Washington while Congress was in recess this week.

'Republican Jack Murtha'

Reschenthaler is a Navy veteran and former state senator whose Congressional district includes Fayette, Greene and Washington counties as well as most of Indiana, Westmoreland and Somerset counties.

He said Thursday's session served as an introduction to Chamber members.

Locally, redistricting shifted his territory east into a corridor previously served by U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Blair, who still serves Cambria County.

Despite being in just his third term in Congress, Reschenthaler has already ascended to a prominent position within his party's ranks as whip.

He said he'll use that influence and "earmark"-style discretionary appropriations to benefit the region.

While earmarks are still a dirty word in some Republican circles, Reschenthaler said he makes no apologies about his view.

"I want to be the Republican Jack Murtha," he said, in terms of earmarks.

He's projected to funnel in $60.9 million through earmarks this year — a total that would rank him among the top dozen Congress members nationwide, a Roll Call report confirmed.

"I want to be in the top five," Reschenthaler added, saying rural areas sucha as southwestern Pennsylvania lose out without such appropriations to bureaucrats who'd otherwise steer money to major urban markets.

Route 219, resources

With the final section of U.S. Route 219 moving through the design phase and proceeding toward construction at the end of the decade, Reschenthaler told Chamber members he'll fully understands the road's completion is the community's top priority.

"We're, what? Five miles away from completing Route 219. Completing that (highway) is a huge issue — and we need more transportation and infrastructure," he said.

If it comes to it, Reschenthaler said he'll use the federal appropriations process to ensure funding is there to complete the work.

Reschenthaler also fielded questions about the Farm Bill, which is said is also moving slowly toward passage, energy and immigration, during a more-than hour-long discussion Thursday.

He said cartels have outsmarted border efforts and are smuggling both immigrant lives and lethal substances into Texas — and beyond.

Reschenthalter said efforts need ramped up to stop that — and the nation's immigration process needs overhauled.

He favors a "merit-based" immigration systems that would enable people to legally cross the border, according to their skills, education, adaptability, language proficiency and other factors that would fill labor market needs.

On energy, he said America needs to double-down on natural gas and continue coal — resources that are abundant in Reshenthaler's district and rather than investing in "unsustainable" sources, such as wind power, turn to nuclear.

Military submarines across the globe are fueled by nuclear power without issue — and smaller, scale "modular" plants should be developed rather than turning to sources reliant on foreign nations, he said.

State Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, R-Somerset, went to law school with Reschenthaler, and the pair said they're longtime friends.

Metzgar said he first met Reschenthaler, of Peters Township, at a cafeteria lunch table.

"He's a blue-collar guy. He brought his Mom and Dad here with him," Metzgar said, drawing a collective laugh from the crowd. "He's the real deal, and we're lucky to have him here in Somerset."

David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune- Democrat. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @TDDavidHurst.