WASHINGTON – Congress is expected to pass a stopgap spending bill this week, giving lawmakers until mid-December to come to an agreement on annual government funding bills. The bill, which has bipartisan support, aims to avoid a government shutdown when federal spending expires on October 1.
The 49-page bill, released after weeks of deadlock, will extend current spending levels and policy to allow more time for negotiations. Speaker Mike Johnson hopes to finalize the full-year appropriations bills in December, avoiding the need for further stopgap measures.
Senate Democrats have been blamed for the delay in passing the full-year bills, with the Senate failing to vote on the 11 out of 12 appropriations bills passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The House, on the other hand, managed to pass five bills before struggling to confer on the remaining legislation.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized attempts to pass a six-month stopgap bill earlier this month, warning against including controversial measures. The Biden administration has expressed support for the stopgap bill to avoid a potential government shutdown and allow time for passing full-year appropriations bills.
The next deadline for government funding is set for December 20, just before Christmas. Lawmakers hope to make progress during the lame-duck session following the November 5 election to reach agreements on the remaining bills. With time running out, both Senate and House leaders must work together to avoid further delays and find common ground on critical budget legislation.
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