Speaker Johnson girds for another House GOP fight on government spending; plans to pass appropriations bills for 2025 by August

[essentialsaltes]

The Republican House leaders set a goal in May of having a budget (implementing their conservative wishlist) done by August to cover the government through next September.

With their majority, their accomplishment over the past seven months has been to continue spending at current levels to today. Now, it looks like either a shutdown or (at best) another short continuation of current spending PLUS some additional spending.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but 2025 is looking a lot like 2024. While the tax BBB has passed, including a raised debt limit, there is still no actual budget or viable plan from the GOP majority to actually deal with deficits/debt when fiscal 2026 starts in October. August is slipping away.

Rep Massie fears another continuing resolution is on the way, and he says he'll be a no.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but 2025 is looking a lot like 2024. While the tax BBB has passed, including a raised debt limit, there is still no actual budget or viable plan from the GOP majority to actually deal with deficits/debt when fiscal 2026 starts in October. August is slipping away.

August is gone. And Trump has thrown a new wrench in the works.

Trump blocks $4.9B in foreign aid Congress OK’d, using maneuver last seen nearly 50 years ago​

Trump, who sent a letter to Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so Congress cannot act on the request in a 45-day timeframe and the money goes unspent as a result

[Some are rumbling that this could lead to breakdown in budget talks and a government shutdown.]

 

[essentialsaltes]

Inside Congress’ warring factions over how to fund the government​

On one side, fiscal hawks are joining with the White House to keep federal agencies running on static funding levels, ideally into January or longer. On the other, Democrats and some top Republicans want to punt no further than November to buy congressional negotiators more time to cut a cross-party compromise on fresh funding totals for federal programs.

In the end, the standoff could hinge on Speaker Mike Johnson’s appetite for trying to pass a funding package backed by President Donald Trump but not Democrats, as he did in the spring — and whether Senate Democrats once again capitulate rather than see government operations grind to a halt on Oct. 1.

There are glimmers of bipartisan talks happening behind the scenes: Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries recently discussed passing a short-term spending patch until November or December, though no decisions were made.

But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about a bipartisan funding deal coming together, with Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a senior appropriator, putting the odds of a shutdown at “50-50, perhaps higher.”

 

[essentialsaltes]

Is the government about to shut down? Republicans and Democrats far apart in talks.​

Congressional Republicans introduced a short-term funding measure on Sept. 16 to keep the government open until just before Thanksgiving.

In hopes of avoiding a seemingly inevitable shutdown, the bill would largely maintain current funding levels until Nov. 21. It also would add nearly $90 million to shore up security for members of Congress, Supreme Court justices and executive branch officials in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10 assassination.

But the bill would do nothing to address Democrats' concerns over what they're calling a "looming health care crisis."

"Zero chance that we will do that," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said of repealing Medicaid cuts.

"By refusing to work with Democrats, Republicans are steering our country straight toward a shutdown," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a joint statement.

"Real leaders don’t do negotiation through carrier pigeons," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who has been part of the budget talks. "They don’t outright ignore their colleagues when they ask for a meeting."

 

[essentialsaltes]

"Real leaders don’t do negotiation through carrier pigeons," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who has been part of the budget talks. "They don’t outright ignore their colleagues when they ask for a meeting."

Democrats unveil funding alternative to counter GOP in shutdown brawl​

The new Democratic proposal links funding the government through Oct. 31 to two of the party’s other priorities: health care assistance and placing limits on President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally roll back funds previously approved by Congress.

“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded,” Congress’ top Democratic appropriators, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, said in a joint statement.

 

[A2SG]

Democrats unveil funding alternative to counter GOP in shutdown brawl​

The new Democratic proposal links funding the government through Oct. 31 to two of the party’s other priorities: health care assistance and placing limits on President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally roll back funds previously approved by Congress.

“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded,” Congress’ top Democratic appropriators, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, said in a joint statement.

Good. Democrats need to push back against Trump's power grabs in a meaningful way, and curbing his usurping of Congress' power of the purse is a good way to start. And an effort to ensure Americans don't lose health care is also needed. Maybe Democrats are finally realizing they need to govern instead of just sending strongly worded letters of opposition to Trump's overreaches.

Let's see if it works.

-- A2SG, assuming the GOP arm of Congress can overcome their fealty to Trump and actually do their jobs.....

 

[essentialsaltes]

Democrats demand meeting with Trump as government shutdown looms​

A possible federal shutdown is looming at month's end.

As I understand it, the House is taking next week off, and Speaker Johnson has extended that break into the next week... past Sep 30. Unless the House comes back into session somehow, the government will shutdown.

Both the House and the Senate are scheduled to be on recess next week. The House had planned to be back in session Sept. 29 and 30, but GOP leaders on Friday scrapped those days to put more pressure on Senate Democrats to swallow the House-passed bill.

 

[Pommer]

As I understand it, the House is taking next week off, and Speaker Johnson has extended that break into the next week...

Out on the ether, I’ve heard tell of another Rapture Day being the 22nd-23rd…which would mean that the Speaker is hedging whether or not he’ll be “available” for continued politicking.