U.S. House in limbo as government shutdown deadline approaches

WASHINGTON — Congress has 12 days left to approve a short-term government financing bill before the government shutdown deadline, although leaders in the Republican House and Democratic Senate have not yet felt the need to begin negotiations.

Instead, House Republican leaders tried unsuccessfully Wednesday to pass a six-month continuing resolution that included a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

this 202-220 votes Shortly after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called on lawmakers to force a government shutdown as leverage to enact a voter ID law, two House members showed up for the vote and 14 Republicans opposed it.

“If Republicans don’t get the RESPONSE Act and all its contents, they should not agree to a continuing resolution in any way, shape, or form,” Trump wrote on social media, doubling down on his last statement closure statement.

The failure of the House vote could provide room for Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to negotiate with the Senate.

But with just a week left before Congress begins a six-week election break, leaders don’t have much time to reach consensus, draft a bill, get it voted on in the House and Senate and secure President Joe Biden’s signature.

Johnson was asked repeatedly by reporters on Wednesday about the possibility of a shutdown, and he did not completely rule out the possibility of funding being cut off from October 1.

“We’ll see what happens with the bill,” Johnson said before the vote. “We’re out there in the middle of the game and the quarterback is calling the plays and we’re going to take charge.”

Blame the Senate

Johnson criticized the Senate for not making further progress in the annual appropriations process, seeking to blame the Senate for the stopgap spending bill and possible shutdown.

This summer, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved 11 full-year government funding bills in broad bipartisan votes, but faced challenges on the homeland security funding measure.

The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines to approve all dozens of bills, advancing five with Republican support but without broad support from Democrats.

House and Senate leaders are not allowing the chambers to begin sessions on bills that have passed out of committee or without discussion, though that has happened frequently in past years.

Leaders are unlikely to introduce more full-year spending bills this fall, making the election results the biggest piece of the puzzle that will change between now and the end of the year.

McConnell: Shutdown ‘absolutely stupid, politically speaking’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has repeatedly called on his colleagues to avoid a government shutdown, but he has not been involved in negotiating a stopgap bill and appears unwilling to do so.

“I think we first have to wait and see what the House sends us,” McConnell said at a press conference on Tuesday. “My only observation about this whole discussion is that the government cannot shut down. Politically it would be very foolish for us to do that before an election because we would certainly be blamed.

McConnell then cited the notion that “a mule kicking the second leg doesn’t educate,” noting that funding the government for a few more months “will ultimately be a discussion between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Johnson.” .

McConnell added: “I support any measures to avoid a government shutdown.”

election drama

Relying on stopgap spending bills has been a regular part of Congress’ annual appropriations process for nearly three decades. In the interim, lawmakers have been unable to approve all full-year government funding bills by the Oct. 1 deadline.

The fight to approve a continuing resolution in September to give lawmakers more time to reach bicameral agreement on a full-year spending bill is becoming increasingly high-profile as election-year politics intensify. Resolutions are becoming increasingly compelling.

In a divided government, any legislation to fund the government must have bipartisan support or almost result in a government shutdown.

The six-month continuing resolution, which failed to pass the House, also does not have the support of a majority of Senate Republicans.

Republican senators believe the bill is too long and could hinder the House’s ability to confirm the next president’s Cabinet in the early months of 2025.

Senate Republicans and House defense hawks also say putting the Defense Department on autopilot for half of the next fiscal year is an abdication of congressional responsibility and a threat to national security.

December end date set

The final stopgap spending bill approved by Congress in the coming days is likely to last until Dec. 20, the last day Congress is in session this year. It is also unlikely to contain a voter registration ID component.

A final bipartisan continuing resolution could also include increasing Secret Service spending or allowing the agency to use its stopgap funding more quickly to bolster Trump’s security after two apparent assassination attempts.

Florida Republican Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart said Wednesday that if he were a gambler, he expects Congress to pass a stopgap spending bill by mid-December .

“First of all, we cannot close,” Diaz-Balart said. “I think most people here understand that this would be catastrophic, especially when half the world is in flames.”

Some federal workers continue to report to their offices without pay during the government shutdown, while others are furloughed until Congress approves a new funding bill. All federal employees affected by the government shutdown will receive back pay.

This October’s closure will affect all departments and agencies funded in the annual process, including the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and State.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho and chairman of the House Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, said he was confident the government would not shut down but did not elaborate on how Congress would broker a bipartisan deal in the coming days.

“I don’t think anyone wants to shut down the government,” Simpson said. “That’s not a viable option.”