WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Internal discord within the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has left the chamber without a leader for three weeks, hindering the progress of urgent legislation.
Below is a compilation of pending tasks that lawmakers need to address:
ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL, UKRAINE, AND U.S. BORDER SECURITY
President has appealed to Congress to allocate $61.4 billion to Ukraine and $14.3 billion to Israel to support their military conflicts.
These figures constitute a significant portion of the $106 billion package, which also encompasses $13.6 billion for U.S. border security and $9.2 billion for humanitarian aid.
Biden has consolidated these matters into a single proposal, though Republicans may pursue a strategy of dividing them, given their differing opinions on further aid to Ukraine.
IMMINENT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Funding for the U.S. government is set to expire on November 17, potentially leading to a partial shutdown affecting various federal services, such as scientific research and nutrition assistance, if lawmakers fail to take action.
Thus far, Congress has not passed any of the 12 comprehensive spending bills required to finance government operations for the new fiscal year that commenced on October 1. While Republicans have managed to get four of these bills through the House, they diverge significantly from the bipartisan legislation currently being developed in the Senate.
To prevent a partial government shutdown in mid-November, both the House and the Democratic-controlled Senate must reconcile their differences and transmit the 12 spending bills to Biden for enactment, or alternatively reach an agreement on a temporary bill that extends the deadline.
The government is currently funded by a similar stopgap measure that was passed on September 30, a move orchestrated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. However, this led to the ousting of McCarthy by a group of hardline Republicans, thereby precipitating the ongoing leadership crisis.
AIR TRAVEL
Congress also confronts a December 31 deadline to revise legislation pertaining to the Federal Aviation Administration and other air travel matters.
In July, the House approved bipartisan legislation, but the Senate is yet to pass its own version. Before Biden can sign it into law, any discrepancies between the two chambers must be reconciled.
Failure to renew these programs could result in the government losing over $50 million in daily tax revenue that supports the U.S. aviation system.
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD
Congress must renew legislation addressing farm subsidies, nutrition assistance, and additional agricultural programs. A new farm bill is typically passed every five years, but negotiations often delay the deadline. The expected cost of this version exceeds $1.5 trillion.
FLOOD INSURANCE
Congress must also periodically update the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized insurance to property owners in flood-prone areas.
This program is due to expire on November 17. Failure to renew it would mean that the Federal Emergency Management Agency could process insurance claims, but it would be unable to issue new policies, potentially affecting over a thousand property sales daily.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)
