House passes short-term funding bill to avert shutdown
The House on Thursday approved a short-term funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown this weekend, sending the legislation to the Senate one day before Friday’s funding deadline.
House approves short-term funding bill
The House of Representatives voted in favor of a short-term funding bill to prevent a potential government shutdown. The bill, which received a 320-99 vote, will extend the funding deadlines until March 8 and March 22, giving lawmakers more time to resolve differences on spending bills. While there is a consensus on some appropriations bills, controversial legislation, such as funding for the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, remains a point of contention.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, chair of the Democratic Caucus, expressed concerns about the second group of bills, particularly the inclusion of policy riders that affect women's reproductive freedom. However, the passing of this short-term resolution provides a temporary solution and avoids a government shutdown in the short term. Speaker Mike Johnson is credited with this victory in his efforts to prevent a shutdown and avoid controversial policy additions to funding bills.
Division within the Republican Party
The passage of the short-term spending bill revealed disagreements within the Republican Party. Only 113 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, compared to 207 Democrats. This discrepancy highlights the conservative opposition to short-term spending bills and their frustration with Speaker Johnson's reliance on Democratic support to pass these bills. However, unlike former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Johnson's position is not currently under threat.
Despite opposition from some conservative Republicans, the bill passed due to the fast-track process known as 'suspension of the rules.' This process requires two-thirds support for passage and bypasses the need for a procedural rule which conservatives likely would have opposed. While some conservatives voiced their disapproval, there were no immediate consequences for Speaker Johnson.
Agreements and loose ends
Congressional leaders have reached agreements on six appropriations bills that include funding for various departments and agencies. These bills are scheduled to be completed by March 8. The remaining six bills, which cover funding for departments such as Defense and Homeland Security, have a deadline of March 22. Although negotiators claim to have resolved most issues, some loose ends, particularly related to nutrition programs and gun-related provisions, still need to be addressed before the text is finalized.
Conservative Republicans have been pushing for the inclusion of conservative policy priorities in the funding bills. However, GOP leadership has cautioned against expecting major policy wins. Republicans are still waiting for the text of the bills to be released and are cautiously reviewing its content. While some Republicans anticipate more dissent and a significant number of votes against the bills, there is no expectation of major policy victories for conservatives.
