House And Senate Pass Short-Term Spending Bill

Congress on Thursday, Passed Legislation to keep the Federal Government Open into March, Approving the Third Stopgap Spending Bill in Four months, as Lawmakers struggle to Agree on Long-Term Government Funding Plans. The Bill extends Deadlines to March 1st and March 8th.

Money for roughly 20% of the Government: Transportation Department, some Veterans’ Assistance, and Food and Drug Safety Programs, had been set to Expire just after Midnight Saturday Morning. The Remainder, which Funds the Defense and State Departments, among other Critical Functions, would have Expired on Feb. 2nd without the New Extension.

The Senate Passed the Legislation, 77-18, early Thursday Afternoon. The House followed Suit, 314-108, hours later, after GOP Hard-Liners launched a Last-Minute Pressure Campaign to attach Partisan Border Security Measures to the Funding Package. The Votes send the Legislation to President Biden to Sign into Law and avert a Partial Shutdown ahead of the Deadline.

The Stopgap Spending Bill, called a Continuing Resolution (CR), is intended to give Lawmakers in both Chambers time to Draft and Vote on a Full Slate of Annual Spending, of Appropriations Bills, for the Rest of the 2024 Fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30th.

That Final Deal, which largely follows an agreement Biden struck with Johnson’s Ppredecessor Kevin McCarthy (R)-CA) in 2023, would Increase Total Spending this year, by $28 billion over the previous Fiscal year’s $1.63 trillion in Discretionary Spending, an amount that, accounting for Inflation, represents a Cut in Real Dollars.

Lawmakers will have to move faster to pass the 12 Appropriations Bills than it appears. The House and Senate are only in Session together Six Days between Friday and March 1st, the First Deadline of Thursday’s Bill, and 10 days between Friday and March 8th, the Second Deadline.

The Deal could exacerbate Tensions between the Speaker, Mike Johnson (R-LA, 4th District) and the House Freedom Caucus, a Group of Archconservatives who have been a Thorn in the side of GOP Leadership for nearly a Decade. Hours before the Senate Approved the Funding Extension, the Freedom Caucus made a Final Appeal to Johnson, to consider attaching Border Security Policies amid a Faceoff on the Issue between the White House and Congress.

The Group’s Chair, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA, 5th District), and otherMmembers pitched Johnson a Plan to attach House Republicans’ Partisan Bill without some Controversial Policies that would require Employers to Verify a potential Employee’s Immigration Status. In Exchange, they would support a Rule Vote, a Procedural hurdle they have Voted against in the Past to Stall Floor business, that would allow the Funding Bill with the Border Security Legislation to move forward for a Vote. Problem is that Plan is Not Funded.

But Johnson Rejected that Deal, and the Freedom Caucus Chair said the Group would Retaliate by throwing Sand in the Gears of Johnson’s Plans for Floor Action.

The Speaker has been leaning on Democrats to Support Bills through a Process called “Suspension of the Rules,” which avoids certain Procedural steps but allows Bills to Pass with a Two-Thirds Majority of the House. That’s how the Chamber Voted on the Temporary Spending Bill later Thursday.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker