Congress will face a tight schedule when it returns from Thanksgiving to approve funding and avoid a partial government shutdown. The current deadline for continued government spending is Dec. 20, leaving lawmakers with limited time to act.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has yet to bring appropriations bills to the Senate floor, despite their readiness for a vote. In remarks last week, Schumer emphasized the importance of avoiding a shutdown, calling it “asinine” and urging both parties to work together. However, he acknowledged that some members of Congress might favor such an outcome.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has criticized the Senate’s inaction and hinted at the likelihood of a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to push spending decisions into 2024. Many Republicans prefer this option, hoping a new GOP-led House and Trump administration could shape spending for fiscal year 2025. A CR would preserve Republican influence over future spending decisions, as opposed to an omnibus bill passed under Democratic control, which would lock in funding priorities through September 2025.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, strongly opposes an omnibus spending package, which bundles numerous appropriations into a single bill. He recently urged Americans to pressure their representatives to reject such measures. Republicans fear an omnibus would sideline their priorities, while Democrats argue that a comprehensive package might provide needed stability.
Failure to pass either a stopgap measure or a broader funding bill by Dec. 20 would trigger a partial government shutdown. Both parties are expected to negotiate intensively, but with a divided Congress, reaching a consensus remains a challenge.
