The Senate was set to approve legislation on Thursday to finance the government until early March, placing pressure on the House to swiftly follow suit in order to prevent a partial government shutdown starting on Saturday.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader from New York, paved the way for a midday vote on the measure. The objective is to grant Congress sufficient time to pass spending bills totaling $1.66 trillion, which would fund the government through the autumn while maintaining most federal spending and bolstering the military.
“This legislation will provide Congress with the time to continue working on the appropriations process for the remainder of the fiscal year,” stated Mr. Schumer. “We hope that the House will take up this bill before the Friday deadline with bipartisan support.”
Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the overall spending package with Mr. Schumer, has faced criticism from the conservative faction in the House for not demanding greater cuts. Given the anticipated opposition from Republicans, he will require significant support from Democrats to pass the measure.
Even considering the bill signifies a reversal by the speaker, who pledged last year not to consider any more short-term spending packages. However, the lack of time to enact the 12 individual bills that fund the government has forced Mr. Johnson’s hand. He aims to prevent House Republicans from being blamed for a disruption in government services as the November elections approach.
The timing of a House vote remains uncertain, although the leadership has left open the possibility of a swift vote after the Senate’s action. A snowstorm is predicted for the Washington region on Friday, and lawmakers will likely be eager to leave town and avoid potential flight cancellations that could keep them grounded in the capital over the weekend.
To overcome procedural obstacles in the Senate, Mr. Schumer agreed to allow Republicans to propose three changes that could potentially derail the measure. However, all three are expected to fall short, clearing the path for approval and a subsequent House vote.
Similar to the previous stopgap spending bill in the fall, Mr. Johnson will then need to employ special procedures to expedite the measure through the House. These procedures will limit debate and require a two-thirds majority, which is likely to consist of more Democrats than Republicans.
Under the legislation, funding for agriculture, veterans programs, transportation, housing, and other federal operations would be maintained until March 1, with funding for the rest of the government, including the Pentagon, expiring on March 8.
With the additional time, members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees hope to advance the dozen bills that fund the government according to the agreed spending level set by Mr. Johnson and Mr. Schumer. However, this task will not be without challenges.
Aside from objections to the spending itself, far-right conservatives in the House are demanding that the measures include restrictions on abortion and other limits on government authority. Democrats have made it clear that they will not accept such provisions, setting the stage for a showdown over these policy issues.
“We still have a great deal of work to accomplish in a short amount of time to finalize substantial appropriations bills, free from partisan poison pills, in order to protect crucial investments in our country’s future,” said Senator Patty Murray, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, from Washington.
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