5 things to watch as shutdown deadline looms

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are increasingly concerned about the possibility of a partial government shutdown as tensions over spending escalate.

With less than a week until some government agencies could face funding shortfalls, there is much uncertainty about what legislation could muster enough support to pass both chambers. There is.

As Congress inches closer to threatening a government shutdown, here's what to watch.

Will Johnson continue to stay in the fight?

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) announced a bipartisan spending agreement over the weekend, setting the tone for negotiators to tackle as Congress crafts 12 annual government funding bills for fiscal year 2024. The highest number was set.

But the deal infuriated conservatives, who staged an insurrection in the chamber on Wednesday demanding lower funding levels.

Hardline conservatives tried to pitch an alternative spending plan in Johnson's office Thursday, but the meeting sparked unrest across Capitol Hill, with many lawmakers, including Republicans, raising the prospect of a government shutdown. There were concerns that this would increase.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters on Friday: “The general agreement remains.”

“We are finalizing our next steps and working towards a robust spending process. So stay tuned for more,” he said.

Johnson also met with moderate Republicans, and Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska) called the meeting off by saying his “informed intuition” was that the chairman was not considering breaking the agreement. gone.

But conservatives remain hopeful. Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said Friday he was “pretty sure.” [Johnson] Legally considering alternatives. ”

What is a temporary stopgap?

Leaders have made it clear that a stopgap called a continuing resolution (CR) will be needed next week to prevent a partial government shutdown.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Friday that once negotiators receive their allocations for each of the 12 full-time bills, “it will take about a month to put these bills together.” Stated.

“We can't sit back and decide what will or won't happen with the Labor Party and the Department of Health and Human Services without knowing what we're aiming for,” DeLauro said.

However, it is not yet clear what that stopgap will look like, how long it will last, and whether it will mirror the previous CR's two-phase deadline.

Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, has suggested moving CR toward a “March deadline” as a potential option to allow enough time to discuss a funding bill. However, he also mentioned the intensification of negotiations regarding foreign governments. aid package.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced plans to take emergency measures next week to prevent a shutdown.

“Unfortunately, it has become clear that the appropriations process will take more than a week to complete. So today, I am taking the first steps to get the Senate to pass a temporary extension of government funding to keep the government from shutting down. ” he said.

Fund allocation

Negotiators have not yet received funding allocations for each of the 12 spending bills, but some expect to receive them within days as they aim for a quick session on the spending bills.

Allocation officials initially said they expected to receive their allocations this week, but there is already speculation that top negotiators will need more time to iron out the numbers for the funding bill.

“The challenge is for everyone to figure out how to make this work with less funding,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, the top Republican on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Commerce and Justice Departments. That's what I'm trying to figure out.” this week.

Some negotiators say they have held informal spending discussions with their counterparts in opposing chambers, while citing under-allocations as a key obstacle to creating a spending budget.

Another appropriator, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), said Wednesday that appropriators “cannot do anything” until they again receive the numbers that set the bar for each of the 12 bills.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the spending cardinal, also spoke to reporters Friday in comments to reporters as a potential factor for delays as senators negotiate separate border aid and foreign aid packages. He cited the Department of Homeland Security.

“If there is additional funding there, it will potentially impact what we want to include in the regular appropriations bill,” Cole said. It's a problem, and I think Democrats in particular are very concerned about that.”

What would conservatives do?

Conservatives have been furious since Mr Johnson announced his record-breaking deal, with speculation mounting in some quarters that his job could be at risk.

With a narrow two-vote margin in the House, all eyes will be on whether the Freedom Caucus and its allies will erect further hurdles.

Many Republicans are trying to shut down debate over Johnson's ouster, but the right is stepping up the pressure.

Prime Minister Johnson on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility that Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, would support a motion to remove the Speaker over the top-line agreement. , said he was “not worried” about being fired. .

“Chip Roy is one of my closest friends. We agree on almost everything in principle,” Reeder said. “Look, leadership is hard. You take a lot of criticism. But remember, I'm a hardline conservative. That's what they used to call me.”

The right-wing effort also did not go without pushback from others in the party who expressed dissatisfaction with their colleagues' so-called “tantrums.”

Which institutions are at risk?

The last stopgap measure passed by Congress is expected to cause funding for several agencies, including the Department of Transportation, to expire after Jan. 19. Housing and urban development. energy; and agriculture.

The deadline for the remaining government agencies to be funded through the annual appropriations process is February 2nd.