Congress returns this week facing a key deadline of December 20 to avert a government shutdown, with Democrats and Republicans likely to pass a temporary funding bill into early 2025. Senators are resigned to a short-term bill due to lack of agreement on an overall spending level for the new fiscal year. Republicans see advantages in postponing the deadline until after President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, but there are concerns about taking time away from confirming nominees and advancing legislative priorities. Some Republicans believe a continuing resolution (CR) until March is likely, with additional funding for disaster relief included.
Funding the government is usually a bipartisan process, but passing another massive funding package could be challenging for House Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s re-election bid could be impacted by such a move, potentially complicating Trump’s presidency. A senior member of the Appropriations Committee believes there is little time to negotiate funding bills before the deadline, and a CR for all government agencies until March is likely. Despite uncertainty surrounding the length of the CR, lawmakers are expected to focus on reaching an agreement on top-line spending numbers to negotiate funding bills before the deadline.
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