Congressional leaders engaged in intense negotiations on Sunday, racing against the clock to finalize a government funding patch tied to a crucial disaster aid package and a range of other key priorities before the year’s end.
Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and their counterparts are facing mounting pressure as the deadline for a potential government shutdown looms on Friday, coinciding with Congress’s holiday recess. With the funding bill anticipated to be the final significant legislation of the year, lawmakers are viewing it as an opportunity to address various critical policy issues. These include authorizing expiring health care programs, negotiating a bipartisan agreement to revamp energy project permitting rules, and implementing measures to regulate U.S. investments in China.
Although negotiators aimed to unveil the bill text over the weekend, outlining a new funding deadline for March that would extend the spending dispute into the next presidential term, discussions hit a roadblock on Saturday over the allocation of billions of dollars in farm aid. This disagreement led several House Republicans to threaten opposition to the entire package unless the agricultural assistance is included in the final legislation.
Given the usual opposition from conservative House Republicans during procedural votes on funding bills, Johnson is anticipated to pursue an expedited debate process with a two-thirds majority requirement for passage.
The forthcoming legislation is expected to allocate substantial funds to support communities recovering from recent disasters, including the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Lawmakers voting against the bill may face criticism for hindering much-needed disaster relief efforts.
