House Approves Stopgap Bill, Preventing Government Shutdown \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The House passed a stopgap funding measure to prevent a government shutdown, extending federal agency budgets until December 20. The bill includes $231 million for the Secret Service following recent assassination attempts on Donald Trump. The measure now moves to the Senate for final approval, with both parties set for deeper budget talks after the election.
Government Shutdown Averted Quick Looks:
- ‘The House passed a stopgap funding bill by a 341-82 vote to prevent a government shutdown.
- The temporary measure funds federal agencies through December 20, maintaining current spending levels.
- An additional $231 million was allocated to boost Secret Service funding after two assassination attempts on Donald Trump.
- The bill also includes funding for the presidential transition process and other necessary expenses.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has ensured quick passage of the bill in the Senate.
- Speaker Mike Johnson described the bill as necessary to prevent a government shutdown.
- House Republicans were divided on the bill, relying on Democratic support for passage.
- Lawmakers aim to return to campaign efforts, setting the stage for tougher fiscal negotiations later in the year.
- A 1% increase in defense and nondefense spending is expected next year, but both chambers remain divided on final figures.
- Republicans aim for deeper cuts to nondefense programs, setting up a contentious debate with Democrats.
Deep Look:
The House of Representatives has passed a temporary spending measure designed to keep federal agencies funded, preventing a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins next Tuesday. The stopgap bill, passed with a 341-82 vote, extends current funding levels through December 20, while postponing final decisions on the 2024 budget until after the November 5 election. This temporary measure buys time for Congress to continue negotiations on more permanent appropriations bills without allowing the government to grind to a halt in the meantime.
In addition to maintaining existing agency funding, the measure allocates an extra $231 million to the Secret Service, following two recent assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The funding is intended to bolster the agency’s ability to protect the candidate during the election season. The bill also includes funds to assist with the presidential transition, though details on other specific allocations are limited.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where swift approval is expected. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., indicated that he had reached an agreement to expedite its passage. “This is how things should be done,” Schumer said, emphasizing the importance of avoiding delays and partisan brinkmanship. He praised the process as smooth and necessary to keep the government functioning without risking a shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., positioned the measure as a minimal intervention, stating it does “only what’s absolutely necessary.” Johnson’s statement was aimed at addressing concerns among his own party’s more conservative members, who have been pushing for significant cuts to nondefense spending. Despite these concerns, the bill passed with a wide margin of support, although some Republicans opposed it, forcing the House GOP leadership to rely on Democratic votes to secure the necessary two-thirds majority. Johnson made clear that allowing a government shutdown was not a viable option, calling such an outcome “political malpractice” that would harm both parties.
The House floor saw little debate on the measure, as lawmakers were eager to return to their home districts for the final weeks of campaigning before the election. The upcoming midterms have only added pressure to pass a temporary funding measure that keeps government services running without further complications. However, while this temporary fix addresses immediate concerns, lawmakers still face the prospect of difficult negotiations on long-term budget decisions later in the year.
Under a previous deal reached to avert a federal default earlier this year, defense and nondefense spending is set to rise by 1% in the next fiscal year. However, Senate Democrats are pushing for even higher spending levels, while House Republicans have been pushing for deep cuts to many nondefense programs. Additionally, the House has attached policy mandates to their spending bills, which have been met with strong opposition from Democrats. These factors will make reaching a final agreement particularly challenging, and without further temporary measures, the government could once again face a potential shutdown in December.
For now, the stopgap measure ensures that most federal programs will be funded at their current levels. However, certain areas will see exceptions, such as the increased funding for the Secret Service. This funding increase comes with specific conditions, including compliance with congressional oversight, allowing lawmakers to keep a closer eye on the agency’s use of resources. The bill also permits the Secret Service to expedite its spending if needed to address immediate security concerns, particularly given the heightened threats against Trump.
Trump himself expressed gratitude for the additional Secret Service funding during a campaign event on Wednesday. He had earlier urged Republicans to block any spending bill that did not include a provision requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. However, that proposal failed in the House last week, and the current bill moved forward without the voter registration requirement.
The recent attacks against Trump’s security highlight the urgency of the additional funding. In a letter to Congress, the Secret Service acknowledged that while budget shortfalls did not directly cause recent lapses in Trump’s protection, the agency is facing “immediate needs.” On July 13, a gunman gained access to an unsecured roof at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. While no one was injured, the incident underscored the need for enhanced security measures, particularly during an election year.
The need for a continuing resolution arose because Congress has yet to complete its work on the 12 annual appropriations bills required to fully fund the federal government. So far, the House has passed five of the 12 bills, mostly along party lines, while the Senate has not passed any. This delay has frustrated lawmakers in both parties, with Republicans blaming Senate Democrats for failing to bring the appropriations bills to the floor for a vote. Democrats, in turn, have accused House Republicans of undercutting a prior bipartisan agreement on spending caps for 2024 and 2025, negotiated earlier this year by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the White House.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, reiterated that her party will accept nothing less than the 1% spending increase agreed upon in the previous deal. She also made it clear that if Republicans seek additional defense spending, there must be “dollar-for-dollar parity for nondefense” programs. DeLauro expressed hope that the current bill would generate the bipartisan momentum needed to eventually pass a full-year budget agreement.
The White House has urged both chambers of Congress to quickly pass the stopgap measure to avoid a costly and unnecessary government shutdown. However, administration officials have noted that the bill does not include adequate funding for natural disaster recovery or health care services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Despite these shortcomings, the administration has called for swift passage to keep the government operational while more comprehensive budget negotiations continue.
Speaker Johnson has signaled that when the temporary measure expires in December, he will not support another omnibus bill, a type of catchall spending package that consolidates multiple appropriations into a single vote. Omnibus bills have been used in the past to avoid shutdowns but have drawn criticism for lacking transparency. Instead, Johnson suggested that another short-term measure may be needed, potentially allowing the next president and Congress to set spending levels for fiscal year 2025.
“I have no intention of going back to that terrible tradition,” Johnson said, indicating his reluctance to rely on omnibus spending bills in the future. With the midterms looming and long-term budget talks unresolved, lawmakers will need to tackle these fiscal challenges head-on when they return to Washington later this year.
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