West Virginia Rep. Mooney explains vote against House budget measure

"This continuing resolution continues the bloated Biden-Pelosi COVID spending levels that have accelerated inflation," Mooney said. "Taxpayers in West Virginia and across the country deserve to have a government that lives within its means. To stop runaway inflation, we have to get government spending under control.”

The bill, which passed the House in a 336-95 vote, includes two separate deadlines for government funding. 

Funding for agriculture, energy and water, military construction, veterans affairs, transportation and housing will expire January 19, while the other aspects of government funding will expire Feb. 2.

The measure does not include additional funds for Ukraine, Israel or border security.

Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., who voted in favor of the measure, said the "two-part" approach will give lawmakers additional time to work out a long-term deal for government spending.

"The two-part continuing resolution will allocate time for Congress to discuss, debate, and come to a consensus on funding for federal agencies," she said in a statement.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., speaking at the GOP leadership press conference Tuesday afternoon, said she plans to support the measure in the Senate.

"I believe it will get a good vote," she said. "I'm certainly going to support it — and give us a little bit more time to do what our own Susan Collins and Patty Murray have been working on, which is to get more regular order through our appropriations process."

During her weekly press call last Thursday, Capito said she would oppose a “laddered” continuing resolution.

“Which means Agriculture [funding] would expire on one day, and then like two weeks later, Homeland Security and then two weeks later Defense,” she said. “To me, that sounds very confusing. I don’t know much more about it then that, and I don’t know what the rationale behind it is.”

Instead of a “laddered” approach, Capito said she was in favor of a normal continuing resolution that would push the funding deadline to December.

“I think our best bet is just to continue funding until December so that we could try to work out some of the things and give the speaker a chance to figure out exactly the way he thinks the House can manage this,” she said. “If they send a laddered approach over, they’re going to have a lot of explaining to do.”