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In the latest news… What can we anticipate? Will more elected officials announce that they will not seek reelection? What’s the current status of the Israel-Gaza conflict? Concerns are growing about the financial situation of the Republican party. But first…
What to Expect in the Final Days of Congress This December is unique – it is the first time in recent history that Congress has no funding deadline or potential government shutdown facing the holidays. The federal government is funded through Jan. 19, and mostly funded through Feb. 2. This is due to the “laddered” spending bill Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) passed earlier this month. In the next three weeks, Congress has several important matters to settle before their scheduled Dec. 14 departure. Here’s what they’re up against:
The national security supplemental Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) shared his concerns in a letter to colleagues that President Biden’s $106 billion emergency funding request for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and the U.S.-Mexico border is a critical task for Congress. He intends to bring it to the table as early as next week.
Ukraine: To emphasize the urgency of the Ukraine aid, Schumer promised to hold a briefing for senators on the war’s status. Border: Senate Republicans have insisted on pairing policy changes to the United States’ asylum and parole immigration system with Biden’s $60 billion request for Ukraine.
A bipartisan group of senators have been negotiating border policy for weeks but with little progress. Schumer’s intention to bring the bill – which includes $14 billion in border funding – to the floor with or without a border security policy deal, is an attempt to pressure negotiators with a looming deadline.
Israel: Democratic support for Israel aid is on the decline. Many Democrats are facing pressure from the party’s base to call for a cease-fire and put conditions on the aid, as casualties mounted in Gaza. This growing skepticism from Democrats has made it challenging to pass Biden’s aid package.
Funding the government remains a quagmire. The Senate passes three of the 12 appropriations bills, and the House has passed seven, but it’s the final ones that are causing a gridlock. House Republicans can’t find enough votes to pass some bills due to disagreements in the party over culture issues and spending levels. In the meantime, the House and Senate haven’t agreed on a top-line number to fund the government.
Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) has filed a resolution to expel Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) following an explosive ethics investigation report that came out this month. This is not scheduled for a vote, but it could come up as early as this week.
More developments will unfold as Congress enters the final stretch of the year. Even as President Biden gets back into the swing of things – President Biden will be addressing the administration’s plans to strengthen supply chains. He’s also set to make several trips to engage in Bidenomics and is scheduled to attend a campaign fundraiser in Denver.
Other major events include the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments for SEC v. Jarkesy and the continued coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, including the release of hostages and wider implications for aid to the region. This and much more still to unfold, stay tuned.
