Wednesday Wonk readers may recall that the current funding for the Federal Government runs out this Friday, March 11th. Currently, the Federal government is funding through what’s called a ‘continuing resolution. The G.E. Peterson Foundation states that a “continuing resolution, ” or “CR,” is a temporary measure to fund government activities for a limited amount of time.” Sounds simple enough. Except that Congress is adding funds to help Ukraine, some Senators are still sore about COVID mandates, and of course–the House is leaving town on Wednesday. Let’s see if we think this train wreck can be averted!

According to The Hill, Congress is working to complete a continuing resolution by week’s end. President Biden has requested $10 billion in aid to Ukraine as well as funds to support NATO. As The Hill explains, “Lawmakers and aides have also questioned if they could need a short-term continuing resolution (CR), which would fund the government at current levels, to buy themselves more time as they wrap up the sweeping bill. We’d have to make great strides between now and say Monday, Tuesday at the latest, to do this,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said late last week about how to avoid [short-term] CR. “

At the writing of this Wonk edition, it does appear that a train wreck will be averted. There is currently an omnibus package winding its way through Congress. This package would include monies for the Ukrainian crisis as well as a significant increase in the Defense budget, some of which will go toward our efforts with NATO. Additionally, the bill includes funding for the 12 appropriations bills through the end of the fiscal year. Since this omnibus CR encompasses a number of programs, the House is considering holding several separate votes on the bill. As explained by Roll Call the ”House has discussed using a procedure called “dividing the question” to hold separate votes on the defense and nondefense portions of the omnibus, but a final decision hadn’t been made on whether to deploy that strategy.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-MD says the House has used the procedure on spending bills in the past and is considering it again “because it facilitates obviously people voting for what they want to vote for and voting against what they want to vote against.”

As of the writing of this post, the House is scheduled to vote on the bill Wednesday and the Senate will finish the bill on Friday, sending it to the President’s desk, hopefully before midnight when the current CR expires.

Finally, the Democrats are considering a smaller version of the President’s so-called ‘Build Back Better’ programs. According to Politico, Manchin is floating a package that would reduce the deficit, lower prescription drug costs, plow some money into fighting climate change and reform the tax code….And that’s welcome news for a group of Democrats who are trying to assemble a cost-cutting agenda but struggling to break through.” The article continues, “For most Democrats, Manchin’s vision is as good as any at this point. …Democrats’ chances of reviving a party-line spending bill that solves some of their policy and political problems are dwindling.”

It’s highly likely that a Continuing Resolution will be signed by week’s end. Will the Democrats find the courage–as well as the votes–to pass a scaled-back version of their social agenda? We shall see.

That’s it for the Wonk this week. Let me hear from you with questions and/or comments.

Until next time, pray for Peace!

Happy Reading!!