As the clock ticks down, a divided U.S. Congress grapples with the daunting task of crafting a sweeping spending bill to finance defense, homeland security, and other critical programs, aiming to stave off a looming partial government shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow Republican leaders in the House of Representatives expressed optimism about a potential vote on Friday. However, with the Democratic-controlled Senate facing a tight deadline, they have scant hours to pass legislation encompassing roughly three-fourths of the $1.66 trillion in discretionary government spending for the fiscal year that commenced on October 1.
Johnson anticipated the unveiling of the legislation as early as Wednesday but cautioned that a vote on its passage might be deferred to allow lawmakers ample time for scrutiny.
Discussions are underway among House and Senate Republicans regarding the feasibility of a short-term continuing resolution (CR), the fifth such measure since September. This CR would sustain federal agency funding at current levels until after a projected two-week congressional recess starting Friday.
“We should have the bill text – hopefully – by this afternoon,” Johnson remarked on Wednesday, acknowledging the narrowing window for action. “I don’t think we’ll need a CR – I don’t.”
Two weeks prior, Congress narrowly averted a shutdown that would have impacted vital agricultural, transportation, and environmental programs without resorting to a CR.
Despite an agreement on funding announced by Johnson and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday, and President Joe Biden’s commitment to sign it into law, more than 24 hours later, congressional leaders remained unable to release the legislation. Aides toiled behind closed doors to finalize the text, prompting concerns from staunch Republicans about insufficient time for review.
“We’re told to pass the bill unread, not understood and debated, or, alternatively, face the chaos and inevitable public vitriol associated with a government shutdown,” remarked Senator Mike Lee, a hardline Republican from Utah, advocating for a CR until April 12 to allow lawmakers ample time for examination.
House Republicans may opt to waive their 72-hour waiting period policy for bringing legislation to the floor, a move aimed not only at averting a shutdown but also at preventing an exodus of lawmakers on the eve of the impending two-week recess.
Beyond funding the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, the comprehensive bill would allocate resources to agencies such as the State Department and the Internal Revenue Service as the latter prepares for the April 15 taxpayer filing deadline.
Nonetheless, the nation faces further political skirmishes as its staggering $34.5 trillion national debt continues to mount.
