Congress is preparing to vote on a funding bill next week to avoid a government shutdown. This continuing resolution (CR) aims to extend government funding through early March. According to reports from Punchbowl News and Axios, and confirmation from a source to the Daily Caller News Foundation, the agreement among congressional leaders will maintain a “laddered” approach. This approach, first used in the November CR, would extend funding for four depts. until March 1st and the others until March 8.
The text of the measure is expected to be available online on Sunday evening, as stated by a spokesperson for the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Additionally, House Republicans plan to hold a conference call on Sunday evening to discuss the plan.
The decision to opt for a CR has been a point of contention within the GOP, with disagreements over the duration of government funding. Some Republicans, referred to as “appropriators,” are reportedly in favor of a longer extension to allocate more funds for defense. However, others within the party want a shorter extension to maintain pressure on budget negotiations.
In December, Mike Johnson, reflecting on the use of CRs and the potential for government shutdowns, described such approaches as a “dereliction of duty.” He expressed a desire to return to a more standard budgetary process as required by law, to avoid similar situations in the future.
Recently, House Republicans and Senate Demsreached an agreement on spending for the rest of 2024. The CR will give lawmakers additional time to draft the necessary legislation. The agreed-upon total spending, as negotiated by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Mike Johnson, is reportedly about 20% higher than the full-year government spending in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Some House conservatives have opposed this deal, criticizing it for not reducing spending sufficiently and for failing to ensure funding for conservative border policies. As of now, Senate Majority Leader Schumer has not responded to requests for comments on the matter.
This stopgap funding bill represents a critical step in averting a government shutdown, reflecting ongoing debates over federal spending and budget priorities within Congress.
Comments are closed.