Staff Reports
As the looming government shutdown deadline approaches, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and his Republican colleagues in the House are facing a critical moment. With Friday's cutoff drawing near, Speaker Johnson is navigating a complex challenge to find a resolution that maintains party unity and appeases hardline Republicans.
Scheduled for Tuesday morning, Speaker Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) are set to convene with Senate leaders and President Joe Biden in a bid to negotiate a funding deal extending beyond March 1. However, reaching an agreement isn't a simple task; it entails a comprehensive legislative process.
What are the House Republicans' options? From @rachel_schilke, aka "Shutdown Watch Schilke." https://t.co/OXpa6rGZsr
— Jim Antle (@jimantle) February 27, 2024
The key hurdle lies in the 12 appropriations bills that must be passed by both the House and Senate before a budget can be finalized to keep the government operational. Since November, the House has only succeeded in passing seven of these bills, while the Senate has managed merely three. It's akin to herding cats, with the legislative process proving challenging.
Amidst this backdrop, Speaker Johnson and his Republican allies are presented with several options, each met with its own set of challenges. Some conservative Republicans adamantly refuse to entertain voting on a spending package unless it's presented as individual bills. Others contemplate aligning with Democrats to pass a clean continuing resolution, though this risks backlash from within the GOP ranks.
In the event of failure to reach an agreement by Friday, resorting to a temporary stopgap bill becomes a likely scenario—a short-term solution despised by many but sometimes necessary in dire circumstances.
Another proposal involves bundling select appropriations bills into a "minibus," encompassing funding for various agencies like Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Energy and Water. However, not all representatives are supportive of this approach, with some insisting on voting for each bill separately.
Adding to the complexity, the House Freedom Caucus has entered the fray with a list of demands for spending negotiations. Their requests include defunding the Pentagon's abortion policy, opposing gun registry and red-flag gun law funding, and maintaining the southern border wall. Failure to comply could lead to a call for a one-year temporary funding bill with across-the-board budget cuts.
Should Speaker Johnson acquiesce to the demands of the Freedom Caucus, he risks alienating Democrats, who oppose budget cuts vehemently. It's a delicate balancing act reminiscent of mediating between feuding siblings.
Meanwhile, the option of a "clean" continuing resolution, favored by Democrats, poses significant risks for Speaker Johnson. Though it would extend government funding without budget cuts, it could provoke backlash from the GOP's conservative wing.
Amidst the chaos, both sides engage in the blame game, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accusing House Republicans of instigating chaos, while Speaker Johnson denounces Schumer's rhetoric as counterproductive.
As the deadline looms, House Republicans find themselves on a tumultuous journey, navigating through legislative complexities to avert a government shutdown. The outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—it's sure to be a turbulent path ahead.
