Congress will vote this week on a short-term measure to keep the government funded while lawmakers negotiate a deal that will pay for the remainder of fiscal 2016.
The House will vote on the bill by Friday, a top Republican aide told the Washington Examiner. The bill has been introduced, and it would keep the government fully funded past the current Dec. 11 deadline, to through Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Lawmakers have been unable to reach agreement on a bill funding government for the rest of fiscal year 2016 because of splits over several policy amendments on the spending bill. Democrats and the Obama administration, for example, are staunchly opposed to a GOP plan to include provisions rolling back EPA regulations and halting the plan to resettle thousands of Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
“While progress is being made on negotiations for a full-year omnibus appropriations bill, it is clear that more time is needed to complete the package,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky. “This short-term funding resolution will keep the lights on in government and maintain current operations for a few days so Congress can complete and pass an agreement. It is my hope and expectation that a final, year-long bill will be enacted before this new deadline.”
Rogers said Wednesday that the House and Senate could complete the long-term spending bill by next week.
Meanwhile, the White House has said it wouldn’t accept anything other than a full-year spending bill or a very short extension, and argues Congress has had plenty of time to work out a full-year spending bill. The White House hasn’t commented explicitly on the five-day extension, but it is likely to accept it, as it may not have any other option by Friday.
