Congress must work hard to prevent a government shutdown.

Congress Faces Deadline to Fund Federal‌ Government

Congress is currently on its August recess, but there is unfinished business when ⁣it comes to funding the federal government. Lawmakers have ⁢about a month to tackle this major ‍task when⁢ they return to Washington, D.C. in September.

Lawmakers must act ​on ​government funding before the start of the fiscal year on ​October 1. They have two options: ​reach an agreement ⁤and fund⁤ the government or pass ⁣a stopgap measure until a deal ‌is struck.⁣ Regardless of ⁤the route they choose, it ⁣won’t be‍ an easy task.

Senators‍ Approve Government Funding⁢ Bills

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee made significant progress by approving all 12 of ⁣their‍ government ⁤funding bills.⁢ This is ⁤the ⁤first time in five years⁢ that this milestone has been achieved. The committee voted on bipartisan lines to send‌ the⁣ last four spending bills ⁢to the Senate floor,⁤ which include ⁤funding for various departments such as​ Interior, Labor, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, and Homeland‌ Security.

Senators Patty Murray ⁢(D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the first two women to simultaneously lead their respective ⁢parties on the committee, acknowledged ⁤that there is still much work to be‌ done. ⁤However, they‍ expressed optimism in a joint statement, stating that the committee’s achievements demonstrate that Congress can work together to ‍find common ground‍ and⁤ produce ⁢bipartisan bills ​that can be signed into law.

Additional Emergency Spending and Controversial Amendments

The panel approved all 12 bills, aligning them with the ‌spending caps negotiated by President Joe Biden ⁢and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). However, defense​ hawks have raised concerns about the ⁤inflation-adjusted ‍cuts, advocating for increased spending⁢ to deter Chinese aggression. In response, Murray and Collins announced a bipartisan deal to add $13.7 billion in emergency spending, with ‍$8 billion allocated for defense ‌and $5.7‌ billion ​for nondefense.

Despite Democrats’ ​control in the Senate and on the panel, ⁤they included the Hyde amendment in​ the bill, which​ funds the⁣ departments of Labor and Health and Human Services. This amendment blocks the use of Medicaid⁤ or other federal health programs to pay for abortion services. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)⁤ emphasized the importance of bipartisan ⁢cooperation to avoid a government shutdown.

Clash with House Republicans

The ⁢House, led by Republicans, has taken a⁣ different approach to​ the spending process. Many hard-line conservatives in the House oppose the debt-ceiling deal and have significant influence ‍over⁣ the spending bills. As​ a result, McCarthy and GOP⁤ leaders are preparing ⁤bills with less spending⁣ than previously agreed‍ upon to secure the votes of these members.

House Republicans have ‌also added controversial amendments that​ are​ broadly‌ opposed by Democrats. These include proposals to limit ⁤access to ‍abortion pills, ban⁣ funding ⁢for hormone therapy and surgeries for ‍transgender ⁤veterans, and more. These policy add-ons have no chance of passing in the Democratic-controlled⁢ Senate.

Deadline Approaching

When lawmakers return ⁤to ⁤Washington, D.C., they will have ​approximately three weeks to pass a federal budget before the September 30 deadline. Budget disagreements⁢ often lead to last-minute negotiations⁣ and marathon voting sessions. If​ an agreement cannot be reached by the deadline, lawmakers may⁣ resort to passing a continuing resolution to keep funding at current ‍levels while they continue ​to negotiate.

However,⁣ some hard-line conservatives have already ruled out this option and⁢ are⁣ willing to enforce a government shutdown to push for the ⁤budget to be passed. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining ⁣the fate of government‌ funding.

Source: The Washington Examiner