Funding Deadline
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. One deal wasn’t enough: it will likely take a second deal to avert a January 19 shutdown of USDA and other agencies.
The handshake deal by the two top House and Senate leaders was quickly dashed by a bigger problem, the clock.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday’s deadline …
McCONNELL … “The simplest things take a week in the Senate. So, I think, frequently, the House doesn’t understand how long it takes to get something through the Senate.”
Ag Senator Chuck Grassley says House GOP insistence on ‘regular order’ also takes time …
GRASSLEY … “I think there’s still going to be an attempt to pass individual appropriation bills, and that’s going to necessitate a short continuing resolution, until we get them passed.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson says last year he wouldn’t do another ‘CR’ or stopgap funding bill, but now …
JOHNSON … “I’m not ruling out anything, committing to anything, other than getting these appropriations done. And I think we can, and we’re pushing everybody hard.”
But Senate GOP Leader McConnell says a CR is the only choice …
McCONNELL … “We need to prevent a government shutdown. So, now the question is, how long does the CR need to be, and that’ll be up to the Majority Leader and the Speaker to determine the length of the CR.”
Speaker Johnson is already facing a rebellion from his hard-right flank, not just on more CRs, but on the lack of big cuts or social policy riders in the top-line funding deal.
