The current government funding is scheduled to expire at the close of September, coinciding with the end of the current fiscal year. It is expected that Congress will pass an interim funding measure, or stopgap, which would extend funding until early December. This extension provides additional time to address complex and challenging issues.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had previously indicated his preference for a government funding debate close to the holiday season, a practice observed in previous years. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has acknowledged the complications in funding the government, describing it as a significant challenge. He predicted that Congress would likely have to pass temporary legislation into December while grappling with determining the government’s spending levels for the upcoming year.
The White House is urging Congress to incorporate these anomalies, along with essential emergency supplemental requirements submitted earlier this month, into any forthcoming Continuing Resolution (CR). This approach has received bipartisan support in the past, as noted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This push was initially reported by The Washington Post and subsequently by The New York Times.
It is evident that a short-term CR will be necessary next month, as affirmed by an OMB spokesperson. The OMB is actively providing Congress with the necessary technical assistance to avert disruptions to government services in the initial quarter of the fiscal year. A short-term CR is expected to be indispensable in ensuring that the appropriate funds are available and addressing critical needs while avoiding interruptions.
