Key Points:
- The U.S. House of Representatives has elected a new speaker, Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana.
- Johnson is known for being a creationist and for his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
- Johnson promises to make keeping the government open his “first priority.”
- Congress must approve legislation to keep the government funded by November 17th to avoid a shutdown.
- The Senate proposed a way to permanently end government shutdowns, but the effort failed to get the necessary votes.
- If Congress requires more time to pass the annual budget, a stopgap funding measure may be needed until mid-January or even mid-April.
- House Republicans may have certain conditions they want met in order to pass the stopgap extension, but it is unclear what those conditions are.
- Congress needs to debate and approve 12 separate funding bills for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.
- Some of the spending cuts being proposed, such as slashing funding for the EPA and clean drinking water, are concerning.
The U.S. House of Representatives has elected a new speaker, Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana. While this may seem like good news, Johnson comes with some controversial baggage. He is known for being a creationist and for his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Despite this, Johnson has promised to make keeping the government open his “first priority.” With the deadline to keep the government funded approaching on November 17th, Congress is running out of time.
The Senate attempted to propose a way to permanently end government shutdowns by introducing the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act as an amendment to three spending measures for fiscal 2024. The act would require members of Congress to stay in Washington and work on spending bills until they are completed if appropriations work is not finished on time. However, the effort failed to get the necessary votes, even though it received majority support.
If Congress requires more time to pass the annual budget, a stopgap funding measure may be needed until mid-January or even mid-April. This means that it could take eight months to pass a budget that should have been ready in September. It is unclear what conditions House Republicans may have for passing the stopgap extension, but they are expected to be conditions that the American people can live with.
Overall, Congress is facing a challenging task of debating and approving 12 separate funding bills for the fiscal year ending in September 2024. Lawmakers are struggling to bridge the divide among themselves as they disagree on how to tax and spend. It is important to note that some of the spending cuts being proposed, such as slashing funding for the EPA and clean drinking water, are concerning and deserve more attention.
Hot Take:
The potential for another government shutdown looms as Congress scrambles to pass the annual budget. With a new Republican speaker who has controversial views and a Senate that failed to pass a bill to permanently end shutdowns, the future is uncertain. The American people deserve transparency and clarity from their elected officials, especially when it comes to critical budget decisions. It is concerning to see spending cuts being proposed that could impact essential services like clean drinking water. These budget negotiations highlight the challenges of governing and the importance of finding common ground for the benefit of the American people.