It's All About Appropriations and Avoiding a Government Shutdown This Week
Jason Pye - Director, Rule of Law Initiatives
Recovering: I went more than two years without getting COVID-19. During that more than 24-month stretch, I was in close contact with people who had it for a few days at a time and didn’t catch it. Then I caught it, and it put me on my back for a few days. Well, I just had COVID-19 for the second time. I slept a lot more and my fever was lower than the last time I had it. Still, I felt generally terrible. Needless to say, I’ll be slowly working my way back into work, which means Point of Order that’s not as comprehensive.
A continuing resolution is the only path forward: We all know that a CR is the only way the federal government will be funded to begin FY 2024. Both chambers just waited too long to do their work for any of the 12 regular appropriations bills to be completed before September 30. That’s just a fact. The question is, how many weeks does that CR go through? Four weeks? Six weeks? Before Thanksgiving? Before Christmas? The best bet is four to six weeks. Don’t expect the CR to be loaded up with other items, like disaster relief and funding for Ukraine. Another question is, how much pain does Congress have to endure before a CR is passed?
Schedule and suspensions in the House: The House returns today at 2:00 pm for legislative business. Votes are postponed until 6:30 pm. Legislative business will begin at 9:00 am on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. It’s possible that votes could carry over into the weekend. Only two bills are expected to bill considered under suspension of the rules.
H.R. 5110, Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act (Education and Workforce Committee)
S. 2795, To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend and modify certain authorities and requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes (Veterans’ Affairs Committee)
Rule bills: The House Rules Committee met on Friday to markup the rule for four of the regular appropriations bills for FY 2024—Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, H.R. 4367; Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, H.R. 4665; Department of Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 4365; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 4368. To date, the House has passed only one of the 12 appropriations bills—Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 4366. Rules has noticed the amendments process for two other appropriations bills—Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (amendments due September 29) and Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (amendments due October 3)—that will kick the process into October. In any event, additional legislative measures could be added this week.
House committee schedule: The full House committee schedule for the week is here. If you’re interested in watching any of these hearings online, you can find committee websites here.
Over in the Senate: The Senate returns today at 3:00 pm to resume consideration of the motion to proceed to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, H.R. 3935. This bill reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); however, it’s likely to be used as the vehicle for a CR. A vote on the motion to proceed is expected to begin at 5:30 pm.
Senate committee schedule: The full Senate committee schedule for the week is here. If you’re interested in watching hearings online, you can find committee websites here.