US Congress struggling to reach spending deal to avert weekend shutdown By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Individuals stroll previous the U.S. Capitol constructing in Washington, U.S., January 18, 2024. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Picture

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A fractured U.S. Congress struggled behind the scenes on Wednesday to provide an enormous spending invoice to fund protection, homeland safety and different packages that lawmakers should move earlier than the weekend to avert a partial authorities shutdown.

Republican Home of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and different Home Republican leaders mentioned they hope to vote on Friday, leaving the Democratic-majority Senate simply hours to satisfy a midnight deadline by passing laws that’s anticipated to cowl about three-fourths of the $1.66 trillion in discretionary authorities spending for the fiscal 12 months that started on Oct. 1.

Johnson mentioned he hoped laws could be unveiled as quickly as Wednesday however warned {that a} vote on passage could be delayed to provide lawmakers time to evaluate the measure.

Home and Senate Republicans are additionally discussing a attainable short-term persevering with decision, or “CR” – their fifth since September – to maintain federal businesses funded at present ranges till after a two-week congressional break that’s anticipated to start on Friday.

“We should always have the invoice textual content – hopefully – by this afternoon,” Johnson mentioned on Wednesday, because the window for motion narrowed. “I do not assume we’ll want a CR – I do not.”

Two weeks in the past, Congress narrowly averted a shutdown that might have affected agricultural, transportation and environmental packages, with out resorting to a CR.

Johnson and Democratic Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer unveiled an settlement on funding on Tuesday morning, and Democratic President Joe Biden pledged to signal it into regulation.

Greater than 24 hours later, congressional leaders have been nonetheless unable to launch the laws as aides labored behind closed doorways to finalize the textual content of the bundle, prompting hardline Republicans to complain they might not have sufficient time to evaluate the laws.

“We’re advised to move the invoice unread, not understood and debated, or, alternatively, face the chaos and inevitable public vitriol related to a authorities shutdown,” mentioned Senator Mike Lee, a hardline Republican from Utah, who backs a CR to April 12 to provide lawmakers time to evaluate the textual content.

Home Republicans might waive their coverage of ready 72 hours earlier than bringing laws to the ground, not solely to avert a shutdown however to move off an exodus of lawmakers on the eve of the two-week recess.

Moreover the departments of Homeland Safety and Protection, the invoice would fund businesses together with the State Division and the Inner Income Service because it girds for its April 15 taxpayer submitting deadline.

However extra political battles lie forward because the nation’s $34.5 trillion nationwide debt continues to develop.