Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Jimmy Williams
The House is preparing to vote on a bipartisan stopgap funding package early next week, as lawmakers aim to avoid a government shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline.
The bill, expected to be introduced after weekend negotiations, will extend current funding levels, with some adjustments, through Dec. 13.
Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, confirmed that the continuing resolution (CR) is likely to reach the House floor “around the first of the week.” He noted that while discussions had considered extending the CR into the new year, a December deadline was favored to avoid interference with the holiday season.
The House’s push comes as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has prepared a separate legislative vehicle in the Senate, ready to act if any issues arise in the House. However, House Republicans now appear willing to make the necessary concessions to pass the CR and avoid a shutdown.
The previous iteration of the bill, which included controversial voting restrictions, was defeated Wednesday, as it failed to garner enough support in both chambers. Speaker Mike Johnson, who had advocated for the voting restrictions at the request of former President Donald Trump, faced the reality that there wasn’t enough support to pass the bill, leading to the ongoing bipartisan negotiations.
Simpson suggested that Johnson advised Trump that a government shutdown wouldn’t be politically beneficial. While Johnson initially pushed for a six-month extension to delay funding decisions until 2024, GOP members recognized that the Senate would likely reject that timeline.
“The Senate’s going to write one and jam us,” Simpson said, acknowledging the need for an earlier end date.
Bipartisan negotiations picked up speed after Johnson’s bill was defeated. Discussions now focus on finalizing the contents of the stopgap funding bill, with paper being exchanged between House and Senate leaders.
“We had to get to the point saying, ‘OK staff, sit down and sort things out,’ which is where we’re at,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Senate Appropriations ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, also confirmed that discussions are progressing, stating that she received a proposal from Democrats and that talks were “in the initial stages.”
While the bill’s exact contents are still being negotiated, Democrats continue to push for $12 billion to address a veterans health care shortfall and $24 billion in disaster aid. GOP appropriators believe that disaster aid could be passed separately in a bill before Christmas.
Simpson added that there’s a good chance for a standalone disaster relief package later in the year, saying, “I think there’ll be a separate disaster relief bill before Christmas.”
Once the House passes the bill, the Senate will need to clear procedural hurdles to ensure it reaches President Joe Biden’s desk in time to prevent a partial government shutdown.
