Government shutdown threat eases after House passes a temporary funding plan, sending it to Senate

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Sat Sep 30, 2023, 07:16 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: AP

Updated 6:17 PM EDT, September 30, 2023


WASHINGTON (AP) — The threat of a federal government shutdown was suddenly easing Saturday after the House quickly approved a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open, once Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage.

The rushed package would leave behind aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increase federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting President Joe Biden’s full request. The bill would fund government until Nov. 17. It goes next to the Senate, which was meeting late in the evening, hours to go before the midnight deadline to fund the government. “We’re going to do our job,” McCarthy said before the House vote. “We’re going to be adults in the room. And we’re going to keep government open.”

It’s been a head-spinning turn of events in Congress after days of House chaos pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown. With no deal in place before Sunday, federal workers would face furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would begin to face shutdown disruptions.

The House measure would fund government at current 2023 levels, until Nov. 17, setting up another potential crisis if they fail to more fully fund government by then. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8

---

Roll call vote - https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023513


For the skeptical -

Link to tweet

Hakeem Jeffries
@RepJeffries
·
Follow
MAGA Republicans have surrendered.

All extreme right-wing policies have been removed from the House spending bill.

The American people have won.
2:41 PM · Sep 30, 2023

Link to tweet

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
·
Follow
Here's what went down: we just won a clean 45 day gov extension, stripped GOP's earlier 30% cuts to Social Security admin etc, staved off last minute anti-immigrant hijinks, and averted shutdown (for now).

People will get paychecks and MTG threw a tantrum on the way out. Win-win
3:26 PM · Sep 30, 2023

Article updated.

Previous articles/headline -

On the brink of a federal shutdown, the House passes a 45-day funding plan and sends it to Senate


Updated 3:03 PM EDT, September 30, 2023


WASHINGTON (AP) -- On the brink of a federal government shutdown, the House on Saturday swiftly approved a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open as Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate.

The new approach would leave behind aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but the plan would increase federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting President Joe Biden's full request. The package was approved 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. the bill.

With hours to go before the midnight deadline to fund the government, the Senate was also in for a rare weekend session and prepared to act next. "We're going to do our job," McCarthy said before the House vote. "We're going to be adults in the room. And we're going to keep government open."

With no deal in place before Sunday, federal workers will face furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops will work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast will begin to face shutdown disruptions. The House measure would fund government at current 2023 levels for 45 days, through Nov. 17, moving closer to the bipartisan approach in the Senate. But the Senate package would have added $6 billion for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia and $6 billion for U.S. disaster relief.

Updated 3:00 PM EDT, September 30, 2023


WASHINGTON (AP) -- On the brink of a federal government shutdown, the House on Saturday swiftly approved a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open as Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate.

The new approach would leave behind aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but the plan would increase federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting President Joe Biden's full request. The House vote was 335-91.

With hours to go for the midnight deadline to fund the government, the Senate was also in for a rare weekend session and prepared to act next. "We're going to do our job," McCarthy said ahead of voting. "We're going to be adults in the room. And we're going to keep government open."

With no deal in place before Sunday, federal workers will face furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops will work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast will begin to face shutdown disruptions. The House measure would fund government at current 2023 levels for 45 days, through Nov. 17, moving closer to the Senate's approach. But the Senate package would have added $6 billion for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia and $6 billion for U.S. disaster relief.

Original article -

Updated 2:48 PM EDT, September 30, 2023


WASHINGTON (AP) -- On the brink of a federal government shutdown, the House on Saturday swiftly approved 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open as Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate.

The new approach would leave behind aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but the plan would increase federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting President Joe Biden's full request. The House vote was 335-91.

With hours to go for the midnight deadline to fund the government, the Senate was also in for a rare weekend session and prepared to act next. "We're going to do our job," McCarthy said ahead of voting. "We're going to be adults in the room. And we're going to keep government open."

With no deal in place before Sunday, federal workers will face furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops will work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast will begin to face shutdown disruptions. The House measure would fund government at current 2023 levels for 45 days, through Nov. 17, moving closer to the Senate's approach. But the Senate package would have added $6 billion for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia and $6 billion for U.S. disaster relief.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I'd like to see this work. The other battles will have to wait. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

7. If the Senate is "interested"

they may have to do a "stop the clock" trick in order to have enough time to run it through a cloture vote (which I believe includes debate time) and then decide whether to amend or do an up or down vote on it (either of which requires more debate time).

They have "stopped the clock" over weekends like this in the past, if they think the thing will be passed and the President signals approval for signature while they work out the details past the deadline.

Will have to see.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Wow, I hadn't realized it was so complicated! Time will tell.

[SouthernDem4ever]

39. They had all the time in the world to get this done

So the repugs in the house should have their paychecks docked for a willingly poor performance

[Salviati]

49. Honestly, the deadline for getting this done should have been like 4 months ago.

I don't think pay is really a good motivator for the worst acting members of congress. Their grifting probably pays better. What would be a better motivator would be constraints on their time.

If it's not done within 4 months of the shutdown date, then congress is not allowed to go into recess. If not done within two months, then congress stays in session 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. If not done within one month, then it ratchets up to 60 hours a week. With two weeks to the deadline, lock the doors and bust out the cots.

[bdamomma]

69. yes

they weren't doing their jobs, maybe they should get $1.00. Jeez these weirdos got to go . Let them move to Russia!!!!

[doc03]

21. So we go through this same bull shit right before they holidays

Doesn't sound like any win for us.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. Whenever they do these C.R.s

they always tend to do them to end right before a holiday in order to "light a fire" under them to get something done by then. They will often do another short term one that goes to just before Christmas if they're not quite there yet.

I wouldn't be surprised if something got passed to keep FY2024 spending at FY2023 levels (outside of stuff that might have already been approved for increases through other bills), but we shall see.

They really should keep it at what was already agreed to by Biden and Democrats after that ridiculous "debt ceiling" nonsense because that law set a top line number and Democrats had pretty much worked out, and were able to work stuff to keep spending within that.

It's the MAGats in the House that wanted to do ridiculous draconian cuts to even that.

[ImNotGod]

51. other battles? Like Ukraine getting overrun by putin? This will be a disaster for our party if

passed.

[KewlKat]

2. Leave behind aid to Ukraine? :(

there are no words.....

[pandr32]

13. My reaction, too.

[Mr.Bill]

15. Unless they have have foung a back-door way

to help Ukraine, This is very bad news.

[MOMFUDSKI]

19. No $$$ for Ukraine is

not acceptable. Now I am hearing Dems saying we have to keep the Guv open. How are the Dems getting their asses kicked on this deal?

[BeyondGeography]

23. Can't see the Dems doing this without an agreement for a separate funding bill on Ukraine

Which still enjoys strong bipartisan support. I’m going to keep my powder dry until I hear otherwise.

[KPN]

29. Hope you are right about that. It would be very disturbing

if support for Ukraine is not included in the short term or another bill promptly.

[karynnj]

28. I may be wrong, but not being in the continuing resolution does not mean that it wont be added

to a later bill. It might be part of the defense bill if they do separate bills or in the omnibus bill if they do that -- hopefully in the next 45 days.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. THIS RIGHT HERE 👆👆👆

It's basically a so-called "clean C.R.". It's NOT the appropriations bills.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

48. Shhh, don't want to disturb the outrage merchants

This is DU, we gotta blame the Democrats before Republicans…

[BumRushDaShow]

55. LOL

[ImNotGod]

61. I don't think it funny at all? nt

[AZSkiffyGeek]

63. What DU member did I call a name?

[BumRushDaShow]

65. I have been a DUer for 15 years

It's the same thing over and over and over.

I try to provide value-added info as a retired fed who has been through multiple shutdowns, to stave off the hysterics and hair on fire that happens here.

[femmedem]

83. I appreciate the information you share.

Thank you!

[BumRushDaShow]

86. Most welcome!

[Scrivener7]

79. Shhh. This is DU. Some have to repeatedly tell people they think they're superior

to the rest of us. I think it comes from a need to believe everything is fine in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

The omission of Ukraine is concerning. I hope it is addressed in the future legislation.

[BumRushDaShow]

88. The C.R. is not the FY24 "Appropriations" bill - it's just a federal gov't funding extension

because today is the last day of the federal fiscal year.

That $$$ can be added on at some point when Congress finally finishes the actual Appropriations bills or possibly as a "Supplemental Appropriations" bill. There was an expectation that it was going to be added into the Defense Appropriations bill though.

And the fact that this C.R. "broke the logjam" in overwhelming fashion, and Ukraine aid is bipartisan in both chambers, it will get in some bill.

A bigger issue is the Farm Bill which expires TODAY. The loons in the House have been wanting to slash SNAP and WIC out of that and that would be a DOA mess in the Senate. Hopefully that will get worked out in the middle of this.

[Scrivener7]

93. Yes, I know. And I am happy that you always manage to post without insulting other DUers

and copping a superior attitude.

Unlike you, some seem unable to post without insulting other DUers.

[BumRushDaShow]

94. DU has always been like this

in fact it has been worse. Back in the days of the "Unrec" button.

[Scrivener7]

95. And thats a shame.

[BumRushDaShow]

96. It is. My mother would always say

"life isn't fair" and those were certainly wise words.

[Scrivener7]

97. Yes. But they don't really apply here.

[erronis]

56. You got a big grin from me on that comment!

We've been well trained...

[ImNotGod]

59. the visuals of leaving Ukraine in the dust plays right into putins hands but guess thats ok for some

[BumRushDaShow]

68. You DO know that a "Continuing Resolution" is NOT THE SAME THING

as the annual fiscal year Appropriations Bills, right?

(or maybe not )

News flash: Don't get sucked into the spin about "leaving out Ukraine". THIS IS NOT THE FINAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL(S).

[Mixtas]

89. Do you think the votes are there?

Do you think there will be enough Republicans who will join the Democrats and approving aid for Ukraine and a separate bill? I hope so.

[Delphinus]

92. Welcome to DU!

[Polybius]

64. Only for the next 45 days

We've given them $75 billion already, so $0 for the next 45 days isn't a problem. Perhaps money for them will be in the next spending bill.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Kavin' Kevin Kollapsed

Speaker without power. Who approached who? Minority Leader Jeffries in on the negotiations? I suppose we'll learn details next week. What did Kevin promise? Is he now beholden to Democrats as well as the Freedom Caucus? Powerless and rudderless.

And here I was hunkering down for the long one. You just can't plan anything anymore.

[Marthe48]

33. Kev got the title he wanted

I'd like to see him walk away, and let the rwnj pick up the pieces

[SouthernDem4ever]

41. If he's working with Democrats, his days are numbered.

The Freedumb Caucus will try to get rid of him.

[Eliot Rosewater]

98. MAGA in the House are under orders from dumbshit and dumbshit is under orders from Putin

and their goal is to kill as many Ukrainian Women and children as possible.

Not an exaggeration.

We better do something about having ACTUAL traitors in our government.

[progressoid]

4. 45 days.

Wow. Way to go GOP.

[kysrsoze]

12. Yeah, so we can resume this stupid fight in another month. BFD.

[WhiteTara]

5. 15 votes bribed the Q Crew with a pay raise.

how's that for a kick in the pants?

[leftieNanner]

8. A pay raise?

For whom?

Thanks for reading the thing.

[WhiteTara]

10. a pay raise for Congress.

What a bunch of bullshit. They just held the US Government hostage for a fucking pay raise.

[leftieNanner]

14. Let's tie a rider to that

No budget ON TIME - zero pay.

[WhiteTara]

20. it's all done now

I wonder how much the next ransom note will cost us.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. See this though (IF that is actually in there)

27th Amendment

Amendment XXVII

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.


https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxvii

[WhiteTara]

43. cancel cancel cancel

that was stripped in a last minute deal Yea for reality.

[BumRushDaShow]

54. I saw a Meidas Touch article

where what the fuss was about was "standard" language for Congress to "freeze" any COLAs for their chamber, where supposedly the Senate C.R. (that hasn't moved yet) had that "freeze" language but it wasn't in the House version, and folks like Rosa DeLauro went on a rampage.

I suppose "technically" a "COLA" (which is inflation-driven) is not the same as a "base salary increase" in Congress-speak.

The real technicality is that the very last Amendment to the Constitution requires a "waiting period" for any change in Congressional compensation, until the next Congress.

Link to tweet

Jamie Dupree
@jamiedupree
·
Follow
DeLauro points out how the exact language preventing a member pay raise that's in the Senate CR was not included in the House CR. It's the 'Section 6' piece - here's what it says
Image
Rosa DeLauro
@rosadelauro
The Member Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) automatically takes effect unless it is blocked. The Senate blocked this in their CR. The House GOP CR does not.

News flash: a COLA is a pay increase for Members of Congress.
Image
1:01 PM · Sep 30, 2023

[TrumanTheTiger]

44. 27th Amendment: Congressional Payraises Don't Kick In...

…until after the next election.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Originally part of the Bill of Rights (proposed in 1789), but ratified in 1992.

[WhiteTara]

47. I was misinformed

or I misread, but in other words! There is no pay raise for Congress.

[BumRushDaShow]

72. You didn't misread -

I saw what triggered the assertion that got passed around by some in Congress and it was apparently a matter of their "interpretation" and "spin" (with a bit of foot-stomping ).

[WhiteTara]

73. thanks! Being crazy has nothing to do with it after all

[leftieNanner]

6. "We're going to be the adults in the room"???

Holy fucksticks Batman! Kevin, you and the lunatic caucus are anything BUT.

[FloridaBlues]

11. So we go through this again in 45 days.

[Mr.Bill]

17. Just before Thanksgiving.

Wonderful.

[Shermann]

26. Let the Thanksgiving table political debates...BEGIN!! nt

[orangecrush]

77. DUzy!!!

[piddyprints]

16. "We're going to be adults in the room."

SINCE WHEN???? Republicans have NEVER been the adults in the room for as long as I can remember! What a bunch of lying shits.

I'm not happy at all about the "leave behind aid to Ukraine" part, if it means what it looks like it means. So we're just abandoning them?

[T_A]

18. I Think The Pay Raise

was a bridge too far. The PR optics were HORRENDOUS and they couldn't undo it, so they folded.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. No "pay raise" can go into effect until the NEXT (119th) Congress IF that is in there

27th Amendment

Amendment XXVII

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.


https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxvii

[brooklynite]

22. Looks like my wife will have to go work next week.

[dalton99a]

24. Congress Gives Itself Pay Raise and Delays Shutdown for 45 Days.

[KewlKat]

25. Do you think the Senate will approve this "pay raise" and no funding for Ukraine?

Will they push it back or accept it...

[MOMFUDSKI]

35. They pulled one over on the

Dems as far as I can tell. If the Senate votes this down they will accuse Biden of shutting down the government. If I am wrong please talk to me like I am 5 years old.

[T_A]

40. All the House Dems

except for one, voted for it, so one would assume the Senate will pass it.

[BumRushDaShow]

74. See this from the esteemed Minority Leader

Link to tweet

Hakeem Jeffries
@RepJeffries
·
Follow
MAGA Republicans have surrendered.

All extreme right-wing policies have been removed from the House spending bill.

The American people have won.
2:41 PM · Sep 30, 2023

Remember this is NOT the final FY24 Appropriations bill. It's just an extension of FY23 funding so they can finish writing and passing those Appropriations (and slide money back on).

[WhiteTara]

62. perhaps there is no pay raise after all.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. No aid for Ukraine should be a dealbreaker

But it probably won’t be, because few have the will or political courage to tank the bill and trigger a shutdown over stopping genocide in Ukraine.

[ImNotGod]

45. I hope you are right. nt

[tavernier]

31. Why are they getting a raise?

The house has done virtually NOTHING since the election. Since we are their bosses, I want to see a list of work that has been done.. Because we can’t fire them until the next election, they should at least get a big pay CUT.

[spooky3]

37. Thanks, BumRush, for the OP and the additional info on the process. Nt

[aggiesal]

38. What they actually did ...

[ImNotGod]

42. Its a PUTIN bill, it will not look good if our party is party to this! nt

[T_A]

46. AOC

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

60. Thank you. I added that to the OP comments

And welcome to DU.

[Dulcinea]

66. Is there video of the tantrum?

I truly despise that skank.

[ImNotGod]

50. Lets hope they don't pay the ransom in the Senate. nt

[AllaN01Bear]

52. what did we loose , what did we gain?

[BumRushDaShow]

57. Um no. A Continuing Resolution is NOT the same as a set of fiscal year Appropriations bills

The C.R. buys time to FINISH the Appropriations bills.

Civics 101.

[bluestarone]

58. I'll leave this up to the Senate. They pass it i'm ok. My ONLY problems are

What Will 45 days from now look like? Also problem #2 is How will our friends in Ukraine look at this? I don't like that part!

[ShazzieB]

71. A lot can happen in 45 days.

Last edited Sat Sep 30, 2023, 05:01 PM - Edit history (1)

At least that's what I keep telling myself. I just hope Zelenskyy understands that defunding Ukraine is NOT what most Americans want.

This is a stop gap measure to buy us some time, which is about the best the House Dems could have done at this point. I know they will fight to get the Ukraine funding restored.

[JCMach1]

75. McCarthy is playing an elaborate game of chicken with the magats

Better buy some popcorn

[ShazzieB]

84. Very true.

And they're playing him like a cheap fiddle.

[JCMach1]

99. All the above. Ironically, he may actually survive with this ploy

We all know it's kibuki.as even in reality only a handful of even the R's actually want to shut down government.

[dalton99a]

76. Rinse and repeat in 45 days.

[bdamomma]

67. Oh thank God

I was avoiding the news all day. Thank DU for being here.

Is there anyone up against MTG, what a sick thing she is.

Just revising my post, I don't think they will leave Ukraine out, maybe they'll try to put it into another bill.
President Biden would not support giving Ukraine to Putin. No effing way.

[orangecrush]

78. I sure hope so

I don't see Joe throwing Ukraine to the Orcs.

[Bayard]

70. Alrighty, then

You have 45 days. Do NOT let it get this close again!

[bdamomma]

80. Those on the extreme

right, are jerking the American people around, and the extreme right are doing the bidding of the orange blob. F them.

[housecat]

81. At least we'll have another six weeks to figure out how to help Ukraine

[PortTack]

82. Ground hog day!!

[madville]

85. Never understood the big deal about shutdowns

Been through them as a member of the military and a federal civilian employee. Biggest thing that ever happens are that federal parks shutdown and disrupt tourists’ plans.

We loved them as federal civilians, my whole office wasn’t allowed to come to work and then we got paid for the time we weren’t allowed to be there, it was literally a free paid vacation.

[slightlv]

87. I tried to look at them like that...

I went through two of them. Problem was, we lived paycheck to paycheck. Buying food for the critters and for us, and paying our bills during the shutdown... especially *rumps extended shutdown... felt more like a dystopian nightmare than a vacation. I guess we were strange. The critters in the house came before us. The bills came before food. The roof over our head came before food. I learned to absolutely, 100% detest and abhor *rump (as tho I didn't before that). While he ate his "safe" hamburgers and chicken in the safety of his SS, me and mine went without food during his temper tantrum over a fence that could be blown down in a big wind. And there were other DoD that were worse of than me and mine. That you and others were better placed than us and others like us during the extended shutdown I'm glad... I knew there were, even while we were going through it. I heard it said and bragged about. I also heard it from some of the students I served out in the field. But just realize it wasn't seen as a vacation with pay coming at a later date for everyone. Some of us had hard-on creditors and were worried sick the whole time. Some of us lost a lot and never made up some of us our losses -- both civilian and military low ranks.

[madville]

90. There are lots of resources to utilize

Many creditors offered payment deferments during the last few shutdowns, TSP loans were available (great resource, you basically just pay yourself back since it’s your money anyway), junior military members could receive 0% interest mutual assistance loans, some of the credit unions like Navy Federal and banks like USAA advanced military members their regular direct deposit pay amount into their account on payday anyway or offered a 0% loan equal to the amount of their missed paycheck.

A lot of people were understandably stressed though, my commands were good about keeping civilian and military members informed, compiled all the resources, and counseled junior members on setting up a plan when one was imminent.

[republianmushroom]

91. Just postponed until mid December.

Nothing has changed.