Skip to content
News and updates

Category: Appropriations

Two-Week Extension of Federal Funding Expected

Posted on

Another continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the government funded past midnight on Saturday was released yesterday. This version of the CR would keep the parts of the government funded by spending bills not yet signed into law for another two weeks, pushing the deadline to reach a deal to December 21.

With the original December 7 deadline approaching, many had been expecting a partisan showdown this week over issues like funding for a border wall.  However, with Washington paying tribute to President George H.W. Bush for much of this week, it appears that the two sides will resume discussions at a future date.

 

Congress Returns To Try To Address Unresolved Issues

Posted on

Both chambers of Congress return this week in an attempt to address several unresolved issues.

With respect to policy, the current continuing resolution (CR) that is funding programs and agencies supported by the seven unsigned appropriations bill runs out at midnight on December 8.  Congress and the White House must come to an agreement on how to address their differences in order to prevent a partial shutdown of the government.  The most high profile of these issues are the White House’s insistence on $5 billion for a border wall along the Southern border and the Congressional Democrats’ recent push on including provisions that would protect Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller in the final spending package.  A host of other disagreements on lower profile must also be ironed out.

While another CR is possible, the 116th Congress, one in which Democrats will control the House, convenes on January 3.  This fact may drive some of the negotiations during the lame duck session.

In preparation for the 116th Congress, the House Democrats are scheduled to elect their leadership team this Wednesday.  The only remaining question about the elections is whether Nancy Pelosi will have enough support from her colleagues to return to the Speaker position.  While there is no Member who has announced their candidacy in opposition to her, there seems to be some question as to how many Democrats will oppose her in the end.

 

Congress Reconvenes This Week

Posted on

With a number of races still yet to be called, Congress reconvenes this week to try to wrap up unfinished business as well as vote on a number of leadership positions for next Congress.  In addition, the newly elected members arrive in town this week to begin their official orientation program, which is expected to last until after Thanksgiving.

The most pressing of the unresolved issues to be addressed is the remaining FY2019 appropriations bills.  With the fiscal year having started October 1, seven of the 12 bills have yet to be signed into law.  Funding for a wall along the Southern border, which President Trump has repeatedly emphasized as a personal priority, is the biggest skirmish that will need to be settled during this lame duck period.  The current short-term government funding measure expires at midnight on December 8 and it remains to be seen whether the wall issue can be resolved by then.

In the meantime, with at least 92 new Members of the House and the Senate expected next year, the two parties in both chambers are expected to take up questions surrounding leadership positions for next Congress starting tomorrow.

House Republicans are expected to vote on their leaders tomorrow.  With Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) retiring at the end of this year and the Democrats taking control next year, current Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is seeking to become the Minority Leader.  He is expected to be challenged by Jim Jordan (R-OH), a leader of the Tea Party wing of the House Republicans.  Steve Scalise of Louisiana is not expected to be challenged for the position of Minority Whip.  Recently re-elected Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, who is currently the Republican Conference Chair, will not seek to keep that position in the new Congress and is expected to be replaced by Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, the elections will wait until after Thanksgiving.  Although a number of Democratic House candidates pledged not to support her as the new Speaker if they were to win, it remains to be seen whether anyone will challenge Nancy Speaker of California for Speaker.  Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is expected to assume the position of Majority Leader in the new Congress.  The race for Majority Whip, at this point, has two candidates:  Jim Clyburn (D-SC), the current Assistant Democratic Leader, and Diana DeGette (D-CO), a long-time Member from Colorado.

In the Senate, with the Republicans retaining control, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will remain as the Majority Leader.  In the position of Majority Whip, John Cornyn of Texas will likely be replaced by John Thune of South Dakota, due to term limits placed on leadership positions by the Senate Republicans.  John Barrasso of Wyoming is expected to become the new Republican Conference Chair.

Senate Democrats are expected to keep their leadership team in place, with Chuck Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Illinois remaining as Minority Leader and Minority Whip, respectively.

 

 

It’s Election Day!

Posted on

Happy Election Day!

In a much hyped and talked about mid-term election, Americans are going to the polls for some exciting local and national races. Will the Democrats win the House? How many new Members of Congress will Washington state have? Will the Republicans gain seats in the Senate? Will most of our nation’s governors be in the Democratic party? We will start to find out tonight. However, given the peculiarities and peccadilloes of each state’s elections laws, we might not know who has won many elections for weeks.

Washington state has some very interesting races being watched on the national stage, and with Congressman Reichert’s retirement, we will have at least one new Member of Congress representing WA-08. Track the results for all Washington races here.

For national races, the New York Times will has it’s very popular Needle on their home page tracking election results again this year.  CNN will also have live updates. The Washington Post also has a fun tracker. Do not expect poll returns until later in the day. The Times has a story on when polls close.

For those of you that have been intensely interested in this election (Beto! Stacey Abrams! Dino Rossi!)  just keep in mind, the forecasts and models were very wrong last year.  It’s raining in every state east of the Mississippi River, and that’s sure to impact turnout.

For those intensely interested in what’s happening across the country at every level, here’s a handy-dandy election tracker that has all high-target political races this election.

 

Federal Relations will update this post as necessary throughout the day and have an election recap tomorrow.

 

 

 

Congress Now in Recess

Posted on

Both chambers of Congress are now in recess.  Congress is scheduled to return after the elections in November to address a number of unresolved issues, including passing the remaining seven FY2019 appropriations bills.