Congress Yet to Craft Plan to Avoid Government Shutdown
November 9, 2023
One week ahead of a potential federal government shutdown, it is clear that Congress will need more time to negotiate a final appropriations package for fiscal year 2024. While there appears to be general agreement for another stopgap spending measure, congressional leaders are split about how to move forward. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has signaled that his preference is to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) that runs through mid-January, though there are a number of factors that could complicate passage of such a bill. For starters, it’s unclear whether Johnson will seek policy concessions from Democrats, such as the potential inclusion of a border security package (H.R. 2) favored by House Republicans.
Another unknown is whether Johnson would be willing to accept an extension of current funding levels or seek deep spending cuts as part of any deal. It’s also uncertain whether a potential CR will include any of the Biden administration’s $106 billion supplemental spending request for military and humanitarian assistance to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as funding to help bolster the southwest border. It should be noted that the White House is also seeking $56 billion in emergency spending for a number of domestic priorities, including disaster recovery efforts and child care, among other things. Aside from the disaster aid, it’s unlikely that any of the other proposals will have the necessary support to move.
Finally, and perhaps further complicating matters, members of the House Freedom Caucus have proposed a “laddered CR” that would extend four relatively non-controversial spending bills until early December, while the more contentious appropriations measures would be extended until mid-January. As Johnson weighs his options, and to avoid a government shutdown, he’ll need to balance the demands of his caucus while also negotiating a deal with his Senate counterparts. He’s expected to announce his intentions in the coming days.
Across Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leaders are expected to propose a stopgap funding bill that runs through mid-to-late December. They argue that such a strategy will keep the pressure on Congress to act before the end of the calendar year. While this is not the preferred path for House Republicans, it’s unclear how much Speaker Johnson will push back against this approach, particularly given the impending deadline.
As talks continue on another temporary funding patch, the House this week failed to advance either of the two fiscal year 2024 spending measures – Financial Services and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development – that were on the docket. Both were pulled from the calendar once it was clear Republican leaders didn’t have the necessary support to pass the bills. With only a four-vote majority, Johnson needs close to unified Republican support to pass the remaining spending measures.
It should be noted that Johnson had previously set a goal of passing all twelve appropriations bills by November 17, though the chamber will fall short of that objective. In addition to the T-HUD and Financial Services bills, the three most contentious spending measures (Agriculture-FDA; Commerce-Justice-Science; and, Labor-Health and Human Services) are still pending consideration.
In the upper chamber, senators last week approved a three-bill spending package that includes fiscal year 2024 funding levels for Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and T-HUD. Looking ahead, Senate leaders may attempt expedite passage of the remaining nine appropriations bills by bundling them into one large “megabus.” If the chamber goes down this path, it may take several weeks for senators to approve such a large package.