House and Senate leaders on Wednesday reached a bipartisan deal to avert a partial government shutdown ahead of a Friday deadline.
Under terms of the deal, the House is expected to vote Thursday on a temporary funding bill. The Senate will vote soon after.
With Democratic support, the legislation is expected to pass the House. It could face procedural hurdles in the Senate if one member objects to expediting the voting process, potentially pushing a vote past the shutdown deadline.
With Democratic support, the legislation is expected to pass the House. It could face procedural hurdles in the Senate if one member objects to expediting the voting process, potentially pushing a vote past the shutdown deadline.
If it passes, the deal would avert a partial shutdown this Friday of roughly 20% of the government, and create new funding deadlines: March 8 for that 20% and March 22 for the remaining 80%.
A March 8 deadline could leave President Joe Biden delivering his State of the Union address the night before the deadline to avert a partial shutdown.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson makes a statement to members of the news media after meeting with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other congressional leaders in Washington, Feb. 27, 2024.
Leah Millis/Reuters
Earlier Wednesday, when asked about government funding, Speaker Mike Johnson said, “Things are moving along well” as he entered the Capitol.
Members of Johnson’s own conference have pushed back at his plan to use continuing resolutions. Last week, the House Freedom Caucus pushed Johnson to introduce a yearlong stopgap funding bill with deep cuts to government spending.
In a meeting with other top congressional leaders at the White House earlier this week, Johnson said he believed they could all come to an agreement and that Republicans were working in “good faith” on spending negotiations, though he continues to face some pushback from GOP hard-liners on how to handle the issue.
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer talks after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Feb. 27, 2024, in Washington.
Mariam Zuhaib/AP
“We all agree a shutdown is a loser for the American people. In a shutdown, costs would go up, safety would go down, and the American people would pay the price,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “I’m hopeful that the four leaders can reach this agreement very soon but so we cannot only avoid a shutdown on Friday but get closer to finishing the appropriations process all together.”
Schumer called on House Republicans to set aside partisanship and resist the threats by hard-liners to shut the government down unless all of their demands are met.
“This is no way to govern. If our House Republican colleagues of good will want to do the right thing, they must accept a fundamental truth about divided government: Republicans cannot pass a bill without Democratic support. It takes both sides working together and ignoring the extremes of the hard-right to get anything done.”
ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
On Tuesday, lawmakers on Capitol Hill reached a bipartisan agreement to prevent a partial government shutdown that was set to occur on Friday. The agreement comes after weeks of negotiations and uncertainty surrounding the funding of key government agencies.
The deal, which was reached by a group of bipartisan lawmakers, includes funding for several government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense. The agreement also includes provisions for disaster relief funding for areas affected by recent natural disasters, as well as funding for border security measures.
The agreement comes as a relief to many government employees and contractors who were facing the prospect of being furloughed or working without pay if a shutdown were to occur. A partial government shutdown would have also had a significant impact on essential government services, such as air traffic control, national parks, and food safety inspections.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed their relief at reaching an agreement to prevent a shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, “This agreement is a win for the American people. It ensures that vital government services will continue uninterrupted and provides much-needed relief to those affected by recent disasters.”
The agreement is expected to be voted on in both the House and Senate later this week, with lawmakers hopeful that it will pass with bipartisan support. If approved, the funding bill will keep the government running until at least September, providing stability and certainty for federal agencies and employees.
Overall, the agreement reached to prevent a partial government shutdown on Friday is a positive development that will help ensure the continued operation of key government agencies and services. Lawmakers are hopeful that this bipartisan effort will serve as a model for future negotiations and demonstrate that compromise and cooperation can lead to positive outcomes for the American people.
