The time for Congress to approve the money needed to keep the government running is nearly up once again. The New York Times says that while negotiators reached a consensus on Thursday on a $1.2 trillion spending measure, it may not be able to pass both chambers by Friday midnight.
Despite the bill's widespread support in both houses, there are still barriers to overcome, such as onerous legislative regulations that may not be easily bent in an attempt to speed up the process. In light of the possibility of a partial shutdown this weekend, White House representatives pleaded with the legislative branch on Thursday to "send this critical legislation to the president's desk for signature without delay." The money would be available until September.
More than half of the government is in danger, including the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and several health organizations. According to the Washington Post, a weekend closure would not be disastrous, but anything longer would lead to issues. An inconvenient period may put more than half of IRS staff on leave. TSA screeners, Border Patrol agents, and active-duty military members would all be unpaid. Republicans in the House planned a floor vote for Friday morning, disregarding the first rule, which states that members must have at least 72 hours to review a measure before voting on it. This occurred on Thursday evening.
Things are more complicated in the Senate. A number of Republican senators have hinted that they want to put up amendments to slow down the measure. A Friday floor vote could easily turn into a Sunday or Monday vote due to Senate regulations. The compromise approach would maintain current levels of funding for domestic programs while increasing funding for the Pentagon and veteran's programs. There would be less foreign help. On the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the House Republican leaders must continue to advance the plan. Once it is in effect, he added, the act "will extinguish any more shutdown threats for the rest of the fiscal year, it will avoid the scythe of budget sequestration, and it will keep the government open without cuts or poison pill riders."
Despite the bill's widespread support in both houses, there are still barriers to overcome, such as onerous legislative regulations that may not be easily bent in an attempt to speed up the process. In light of the possibility of a partial shutdown this weekend, White House representatives pleaded with the legislative branch on Thursday to "send this critical legislation to the president's desk for signature without delay." The money would be available until September.
More than half of the government is in danger, including the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and several health organizations. According to the Washington Post, a weekend closure would not be disastrous, but anything longer would lead to issues. An inconvenient period may put more than half of IRS staff on leave. TSA screeners, Border Patrol agents, and active-duty military members would all be unpaid. Republicans in the House planned a floor vote for Friday morning, disregarding the first rule, which states that members must have at least 72 hours to review a measure before voting on it. This occurred on Thursday evening.
Things are more complicated in the Senate. A number of Republican senators have hinted that they want to put up amendments to slow down the measure. A Friday floor vote could easily turn into a Sunday or Monday vote due to Senate regulations. The compromise approach would maintain current levels of funding for domestic programs while increasing funding for the Pentagon and veteran's programs. There would be less foreign help. On the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the House Republican leaders must continue to advance the plan. Once it is in effect, he added, the act "will extinguish any more shutdown threats for the rest of the fiscal year, it will avoid the scythe of budget sequestration, and it will keep the government open without cuts or poison pill riders."
