Another Government Shut Down Looms

House Speaker Mike Johnson says he won’t rip up the top-line spending deal he struck with Senate Democrats, despite pressure from hardline conservatives to scrap the plan for deeper cuts. But USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack still has concerns.

Johnson says weeks of negotiations with top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer produced billions in hard-won cuts to the IRS and a claw-back of COVID funds in a bid to avert two shutdown deadlines--the first next Friday, would affect USDA.

GOP hardliners demanded bigger cuts and border policy changes, but Johnson said he’ll stay the course to let appropriators finish spending bills. Though, that may take another funding extension or continuing resolution.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack argued on a zoom press call against a long CR and for full funding of the Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC nutrition program

Vilsack says many states would have to consider implementing waiting lists for applicants to reduce costs. But the House and Senate must still reach agreement on full-year spending bills, a challenge given House hardliners haven’t given up their fight for bigger cuts and conservative policy riders.

Source: NAFB