Shutdown averted?
US Congress apparently agrees on budget transition bill
January 14, 2024, 3:02 a.m
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The budget in the USA is once again a deadlock, the financing of some authorities in the USA is in jeopardy. But now Republicans and Democrats are apparently finding a solution to avert the impending shutdown.
The US Congress has apparently agreed on a transitional law to finance the US budget until March 2024. According to a person familiar with the matter, Congress has agreed on a so-called Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government in two tranches until March 1 and March 8 – and thus also extends two deadlines . American media such as the online news magazines Politico and Punchbowl as well as the TV channel CNN had previously reported on Congress’ decision.
According to the US media, the Republicans want to present the plan to the House of Representatives on Sunday evening. A spokesman for Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said a notice of the agreed transition bill will be posted online on Sunday. A representative for House Speaker Mike Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
The interim law would again avert a partial government shutdown as funding for some agencies, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense, will expire in the coming weeks. Top Democrats and Republicans in Congress agreed on Jan. 7 on more than $1.59 trillion to continue funding the government in the current fiscal year.
However, the next budget deadline is January 19th. If the law is not passed by then, parts of the government would have to be closed. The US was already facing a partial government shutdown last fall because Republicans in the House of Representatives resisted a stopgap bill negotiated by both camps and deposed their former speaker Kevin McCarthy.