The House has postponed consideration of their FY 2015 continuing resolution (CR) to give members more time to review a White House request to arm Syrian rebels. It appears that they will not take action on the CR until next Wednesday, which could push the final action on the spending measure right up to the October 1st deadline. In addition to concerns about whether to authorize administration action against the Islamic State terrorist group, there are also concerns about a planned extension of the Export-Import Bank and a dispute over the length of the continuing resolution.
By delaying the vote until midweek, GOP House leaders may be seeking the upper hand over the Democrat-controlled Senate in shaping the final bill. With the House adjourning at the end of next week until after the mid-term elections, the Senate would have almost no time to make changes to the legislation and send the revisions back to the House before the chamber’s lawmakers adjourn. It could leave the Senate with little choice but to accept the deal, or be seen as forcing a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins October 1st.
It is still too early to know if any shutdown threat actually exists, but lawmakers will need to work quickly in a short period of time to avoid that situation. The House appears to be sticking (for now) to their scheduled break at the end of next week. The Senate had hoped to adjourn by September 23rd but the delay may require them to come back in the last few days of September to take final action.