Appropriators seem to have reached consensus that the next stopgap spending bill will run through Dec. 20, in hopes that an extra month will give them time to negotiate all 12 spending bills by the end of the year.
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) – the chairs of their respective chambers’ appropriations committees – met Tuesday night to re-start negotiations. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes, CQ reported.
Lowey said appropriators will “get our work done” before the new deadline. Shelby said the committees’ staff members will “get serious on two or three” sticking points and then see if President Trump will sign on, according to CQ.
The White House’s top legislative liaison has said the President will sign another stopgap bill, but the President himself has refused to rule out a government shutdown.
The federal government is operating under a continuing resolution that expires Nov. 21.
Final Appropriations Deadline Approaches
Friday is the deadline for Congress to pass the final six appropriations bills for the current fiscal year. The defense appropriations bill is part of the package. Punchbowl News reported this morning that negotiators have finished work on defense spending and other...