US House Preparing to Vote on Stopgap Funding Bill, Raising Government Shutdown Concerns
The US House of Representatives is poised to vote on a stopgap funding bill, which could potentially trigger the government’s fourth partial shutdown in a decade. The move will test Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s slim 221-212 majority, with several hardline conservatives opposing the idea of a short-term bill known as a continuing resolution (CR). McCarthy’s position as speaker could also face a challenge as a result. This legislative maneuver will necessitate Democratic votes, which is likely to upset some party hardliners who wanted to pass a bill without Democratic support.
However, even if the bill is passed by the House, there may not be sufficient time for the Democratic-majority Senate to vote on it and for President Joe Biden to sign it into law before the current funding expires at 12:01 a.m. ET (0401 GMT) on Sunday.
On Friday, House Republican lawmakers had blocked their own CR, as it included several conservative policy additions that were opposed by Democrats. The new bill to be voted on seeks to extend funding for 45 days and exclude those conservative measures.
McCarthy has emphasized the need to keep the government open while work is completed on pending matters. Meanwhile, the Democratic-majority Senate is planning another procedural vote on a stopgap bill that would fund the government until November 17. This bill has been gaining broad bipartisan support, which has been rejected thus far by the Republican-controlled House.
Internal disagreements within the Republican party, which holds a 221-212 majority in the House, have brought the United States close to its fourth partial government shutdown in the past decade. The chamber has been unable to pass legislation to keep the government operational beyond the start of the fiscal year on October 1.
Detailed plans have already been prepared by federal agencies, outlining the services that must continue, such as airport screening and border patrols, as well as those that would be halted, including scientific research and nutrition aid for 7 million impoverished mothers. Most of the government’s 4 million-plus employees would remain unpaid, whether working or not.
This standoff comes just a few months after Congress nearly allowed the federal government to default on its $31.4 trillion debt. The ongoing drama has raised concerns on Wall Street, where credit ratings agency Moody’s has warned of potential harm to U.S. creditworthiness.
Typically, Congress passes stopgap spending bills to buy more time for negotiating comprehensive legislation that sets funding for various federal programs. However, this year, a group of Republicans in the House has been blocking action as they advocate for stricter immigration measures and spending cuts below the levels agreed upon during the spring’s debt-ceiling standoff.
On Friday, 21 Republicans joined forces with Democrats to defeat legislation reflecting those demands. These representatives argued that the focus should be on passing detailed spending bills for the full fiscal year, even if it means a temporary government shutdown. Other Republicans, however, expressed frustration, believing that this was a missed opportunity to advance conservative policies. Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis of New York voiced her discontent, stating, There’s a lot of frustration growing with the 21 individuals who chose to vote ‘no’ on what was a very good plan.
As the clock ticks down to the funding deadline, the fate of the stopgap funding bill remains uncertain. It remains to be seen whether the House will secure the necessary votes and whether the Senate will have the opportunity to take up the measure before a government shutdown is triggered.
