House Expected To Vote On Government Funding Continuing Resolution Today

Hill reporters have confirmed that, due to inclement weather forecast for Washington DC tomorrow, the House of Representatives will vote on the Continuing Resolution to extend government funding into March today.

• The Senate is expected to come into session shortly to pass the bill and then hand the legislation to the House.
• The quick movement from House Republican leadership has all but ended the prospect of a government shutdown when the funding expires at midnight 19 January.
• The Continuing Resolution will keep the two-step funding strategy in place with the new deadlines set for March 1 and March 8.
• The bill is 'clean' and therefore does not address any other Congressional priorities including policy at the US-Mexico border, supplemental funding for Ukraine, or a child tax/business agreement. Nor does it cut any spending or address the deficit - key demands from House conservatives.
• Following passage of the CR, attention will turn to drafting and legislating FY2024 spending bills within the topline framework agreed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Focus will be on whether Johnson can convince the conservative flank of the House GOP that the FY2024 budget sufficiently addresses conservative priorities and can avoid a rebellion like that which led to the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy under similar circumstances.