Maloy Questions Senate Buy-In for McClintock Budget Process Reform Bill
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Summary
This Forbes Breaking News clip from a July 2026 House Appropriations Committee hearing on "Funding Lapses: Analyzing Shutdown Reform" shows Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) questioning witnesses, including Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), about the dysfunctional annual appropriations process. Malliotakis, who identifies as a relatively new appropriator, stresses the importance of yearly votes to maintain accountability to taxpayers and criticizes how the legislative "means" has become an end in itself. She expresses support for McClintock's bill to reform the process but questions the feasibility of Senate approval, given that senators would need to vote on changes affecting their own procedures.
Editorial Assessment
The clip accurately captures a portion of a substantive, hours-long hearing where lawmakers and experts discussed chronic failures in passing the 12 annual appropriations bills, frequent reliance on continuing resolutions and omnibus packages, and risks of government shutdowns. Claims about the broken process, wasted effort on bills that go nowhere, and the need for procedural reform align with McClintock's introduced H.R. 8380, which seeks to grant appropriations bills expedited Senate consideration similar to reconciliation to bypass the 60-vote cloture threshold. Viewers miss broader context: the hearing included diverse witnesses (such as former CBO Director Shalanda Young), competing ideas like automatic continuing resolutions opposed by McClintock, and the reality that both parties have contributed to delays over decades. The framing highlights frustration with minority obstruction without noting that expedited procedures could reduce minority leverage on spending priorities. Overall, it is informative but presents a narrow, Republican-led perspective on a bipartisan institutional problem.
Key Moments
Annual appropriations bills keep Congress accountable to taxpayers by requiring yearly votes on spending their money
This reflects the constitutional power of the purse and standard arguments for regular order; consistent with hearing theme and McClintock's public statements on restoring accountability.
The current system is seized up because the minority can block compromise, preventing the process from operating as designed
McClintock's point references Senate filibuster/cloture rules; omits that both parties have used procedural tools when in the minority and that reconciliation already provides an expedited path for some budget matters.
McClintock has been in contact with a leading Senate member interested in introducing a similar measure
Anonymous source cited in the hearing; H.R. 8380 was introduced in April 2026 with no public companion Senate bill identified as of the hearing date.
Doing the full work of writing, marking up, and advancing 12 appropriations bills is wasted effort when they go nowhere, and the public misunderstands how involved the process is
Directly corroborated by the hearing title on funding lapses, Maloy's experience as an appropriator, and long-standing congressional records of delayed or collapsed appropriations cycles.
Notable Concerns
- Segment is excerpted from a longer hearing and omits opposing testimony or alternative reform proposals such as automatic funding mechanisms
- Reliance on one unnamed Senate contact for optimism about bicameral reform without naming the senator or providing evidence of broader support
Sources Consulted
- Rep. McClintock Introduces H.R. 8380 to Restore Fiscal Order and End Appropriations Gridlock
- H.R.8380 - 119th Congress (2025-2026)
- House Appropriations Committee Hearing: Funding Lapses: Analyzing Shutdown Reform (July 22, 2026)
- Frame by Frame: Through the Full Committee Lens - Republicans
- Lawmakers, Experts Offer Competing Fixes to End Government Shutdowns
- Introduction to the Federal Budget Process (CRS Report R46240)