Congressional Leaders Move to Pass Government Funding Bill Amid Impending Shutdown Deadline
Congressional leaders are making preparations to pass a government funding bill worth $1.7 trillion next week as the federal government approaches yet another deadline for potential shutdown. If Congress fails to act, approximately 20 percent of the federal government’s domestic operations will shut down on March 2, leaving lawmakers with only a few days to avert a partial closure. This ongoing debate on Capitol Hill over federal spending also encompasses issues such as government shutdowns and support for Ukraine and Israel.
During a recent conference call with members of his Republican conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) acknowledged that not all components of the spending bills that lawmakers will consider are perfect. However, he stressed that the bills do include significant policy victories and spending cuts that should please GOP members. Johnson mentioned that while these victories may not be home runs or grand slams, they are akin to singles and doubles that the party should take pride in.
However, some Republicans expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that they believe the party is not winning in these negotiations. Despite this, Johnson did not elaborate on specific policy provisions during the call. Meanwhile, multiple sources familiar with House and Senate negotiations stated that leaders are close to reaching an agreement on legislation to fund the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. Funding for these agencies is set to expire next weekend, while funding for the remaining 80 percent of the federal government is set to expire on March 9.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), one of the chief House negotiators, acknowledged the time constraints and the around-the-clock efforts being made to piece together the legislation. It is expected that Congress will consider a stopgap funding bill, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), to maintain current spending levels for these agencies until mid-March. This would be the fourth such law passed since the last fiscal year ended on September 30.
The Speaker’s Approach and Impact of Potential Tensions:
House Speaker Johnson has faced pressures from various factions within the Republican Party