Congressional Shuffle Navigating Budget Battles: Congress is doing its classic dancepostponing decisions on spending bills, leaving a looming headache. The House and Senate sailed through a stop-gap spending bill, but the path to a bipartisan 2024 budget deal is strewn with challenges.
After the House greenlit a stop-gap bill, a faction of House Republicans threw a wrench, blocking progress on one of the bills. Some weren’t thrilled about the absence of spending cuts in the proposed bill, a move to garner Democratic votes and dodge a shutdown. The House, heading home for Thanksgiving earlier than planned, lacks a clear strategy to pass the remaining bills.
“It’s hard to execute a play when you don’t have a team,” laments Rep. Dusty Johnson. The continuing resolution funds four federal agencies until Jan. 19, leaving the chambers with the daunting task of negotiating 12 annual spending bills by early next year.
Before negotiations kick off, House and Senate leaders must align on the overall budget for federal agencies. A deal on a top-line figure set in the summer debt ceiling deal exists, but the House’s lower number and the Senate’s inclusion of emergency programs create a $70 billion gap.
“We need a clarification of that because the differences are rather substantial,” says Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart. Conservatives express discontent with the stopgap bill, viewing it as retaliation for not pushing harder for spending cuts.
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Despite the roadblocks, Speaker Johnson aims to rally the GOP. “Republicans have a choice. We can work together to get conservative victories, or we can bicker, squabble, take hostages, and lose,” he asserts. As the House faces the challenge of passing all 12 bills, some Republicans emphasize the symbolic importance of bringing them up for votes, showcasing a commitment to altering spending habits.
In the quest to redefine success, Rep. Mike Simpson acknowledges the reality of the situation. “It is the reality of where we are right now,” he concedes. The two-step process set by the speaker may not significantly change the landscape, and divided government leaves the House with one pathan agreement with the Senate, achieved with both Democrat and Republican votes.
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