Award Banner
Award Banner

US Senate Democrats tee up bill to avert government shutdown

US Senate Democrats tee up bill to avert government shutdown
The US Capitol Building is seen in Washington, US, Aug 15, 2023.
PHOTO: Reuters file

WASHINGTON — US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday (Nov 9) took a procedural step to allow the Democratic-majority chamber to pass a stopgap government funding bill before a Nov 17 deadline to avert a partial government shutdown.

The take

Disputes within the fractious House of Representatives Republican majority have prevented that chamber from voting on a stopgap funding measure known as a continuing resolution, or CR.

If House Republicans fail to start that process in time, Senate Democrats could pass a bill of their own, which would need House approval, to head off the fourth partial government shutdown in a decade.

Context

* Congress has not yet finished with the 12 appropriations bills it needs to pass to fund the government through Sept 30.

* It passed a temporary funding bill on Sept 30 to give it more time, but shortly afterward, a small group of House hardliners ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the deal, kicking off a three-week leadership fight that ended in the election of Republican Mike Johnson on Oct 25.

* The two parties do not agree on a topline 2024 spending figure. Democratic President Joe Biden and McCarthy in May set a US$1.59 trillion (S$2.2 trillion) discretionary spending budget, but hardline Republicans have pushed for an additional US$120 billion in cuts.

* The US recorded a nearly US$1.7 trillion deficit in its most recent fiscal year, its largest since a budget gap fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

What's next

* Democrats and Republicans in both chambers will continue negotiations on finding a path forward ahead of the deadline, in the hopes of averting a shutdown.

ALSO READ: US Congress passes stopgap bill to avert government shutdown

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.