Introduction
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is determined to prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend. In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Schumer expressed his intention to work with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in order to expedite the passage of a two-step measure.
Swift Resolution
Schumer emphasized the importance of both sides cooperating and stated that there is no reason why the bill cannot be completed as soon as today. However, he also acknowledged the need to continue working towards finding common ground.
House Approval
The short-term measure proposed by the Republican-controlled House received a notable 336-95 vote in favor on Tuesday. With time running out as the government is only funded until Friday, lawmakers in Washington are racing to get the continuing resolution (CR) to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Imperfect but Essential
Schumer acknowledged that the House’s CR is not flawless but stressed the importance of moving forward. He highlighted two crucial aspects that he and other Democrats have been advocating for – avoiding a government shutdown and doing so without any harsh cuts or controversial provisions pushed forward by the hard-right.
As Senator Schumer pushes for swift action to avert a potential government shutdown, both parties will need to find common ground in order to achieve a favorable outcome.
House Speaker’s Continuing Resolution Passes with Democratic Support
The White House has announced that President Biden intends to sign the continuing resolution recently passed by the House Speaker, Mike Johnson. This resolution maintains current funding levels and does not contain any harmful policy riders. Despite facing opposition from the House Freedom Caucus and other hardline Republicans, Johnson was able to secure the necessary votes with support from Democrats.
The continuing resolution, which received opposition from 93 House Republicans and two Democrats, sets the stage for more funding negotiations in early 2024. It extends government funding for certain agencies and programs until January 19th and others until February 2nd. Johnson argues that this approach is crucial in placing House Republicans in a strong negotiating position, preventing them from being caught off guard by a massive spending bill introduced by the Democratic-run Senate just before the holidays.
This announcement comes as U.S. stocks continue to gain momentum, following a significant rally spurred by positive inflation readings.
See: Ahead of House vote to avoid government shutdown, Speaker Johnson says, ‘You have to fight fights that you can win’