Congress Faces Dec. 16 Funding Deadline

Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations committees continue to put together FY 2023 spending bills but, with the current CR expiring Dec. 16, another stopgap funding measure appears likely to avoid a government shutdown.

Bipartisan negotiations on an omnibus FY 2023 spending package have been stalled for months, with House and Senate appropriators unable to agree on even a topline figure for overall spending and many lawmakers waiting to see the outcome of this fall’s midterm elections to see what leverage they may have in the next Congress.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters last week he has prepared his caucus for “heavy work” and “long hours” over the few weeks remaining until government funding expires.

The impending retirements of the Senate’s top two negotiators, Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and ranking member Richard Shelby (R-AL), figure to complicate spending discussions as well.