Congressional leaders are trying to jam as many extras as possible into a must-pass spending bill that may ricochet between the House and Senate right up to the deadline three days from now.
Top Republicans, poised to finish a sweeping tax-cut bill this week, are eager to avoid an embarrassing government shutdown. They also want to resolve other pressing issues without making too many concessions to Democrats or alienating the conservative GOP lawmakers in the House.
A shutdown is “not going to happen,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said on Fox News Tuesday night. “We’ll work it out, we always do.” Current funding for government operations expires at the end of the day Friday.
In addition to providing funding to keep the government running, lawmakers are trying to load up the package with provisions including extending an insurance program for low-income children, raising spending limits, stabilizing Obamacare insurance markets, providing disaster aid and reauthorizing government surveillance powers. It’s a big task for a short week.
The House is set to act first, voting on a bill to extend federal funding until Jan. 19. Lawmakers there initially were considering combining that with a full year’s defense spending and an $81 billion disaster aid package.
But that plan has shifted several times in the last two days. The House may drop the defense spending and pass a straightforward two-week funding extension, according to a Republican aide. That would put the disaster assistance in a separate measure, but a final decision hasn’t been made, according to the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. A proposal to extend disputed National Security Agency surveillance authority beyond Dec. 31 also may receive a separate vote.
Once the House acts, Republicans and Democrats will work on a revised bill for a Senate vote. Democrats in that chamber have leverage because Republicans need their help for the 60 votes needed to pass a spending bill. It’s possible a spending bill will move back and forth between the House and Senate in the next few days before lawmakers reach a final agreement.
Both parties also are negotiating on broad spending caps for domestic and defense spending for the rest of the fiscal year. Democrats want equal increases for defense and non-defense spending and seek to limit any offsetting spending cuts. Representative Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking House Democrat, said a deal could come together later this week.
“We haven’t had any real offers yet,” said Senate Democrat Patty Murray, the lead negotiator on past budget-cap deals. “It’s only Tuesday.”
If lawmakers agree on budget caps, Republican leaders may add to the spending bill a number of measures opposed by the most conservative Republicans, such as the surveillance extension and Obamacare insurance subsidies. At least some Democratic votes would be needed in the House and Senate to enact the spending bill.