Once again, large parts of the federal government are confronted with the prospect of a shutdown should members of Congress fail to pass a package of six big funding bills.
Deadline for that passage is January 30.
If the members fail to reach an agreement, such agencies as the Pentagon, and Departments of State and Homeland Security will be forced to significantly curtail operations.
A sudden hurdle standing in the way of passage includes a determination on the part of some lawmakers to not vote for any new Homeland Security funding in the aftermath of a demonstrator in Minneapolis being shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the weekend.
An existing hurdle comes with the simple fact that 60 votes are required to advance any budget legislation.
Speaking on the CBS program Face the Nation, Maine Senator Angus King, who is officially listed as an Independent but usually votes with the Democrats, thought the funding for Homeland Security should be taken up by the members as a separate issue.
“Let’s put some guardrails on what’s going on, some accountability, and that would solve the problem,” said King.
Earlier reports indicated that a funding package would most likely include $1.2 trillion in funding for the various impacted agencies, along with some $10 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Additional spending is expected to see $102.8 billion going to the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; $221 billion for the Labor Department; and $839 billion for the Defense Department.
For his part, President Trump has predicted that a government shutdown by the end of the week is more rather than less likely. “I think they’ll probably do it again. That’s my feeling,” Trump said in a press conference, before adding: “We’ll see what happens.”
The previous government shutdown, in October and November, was the longest in U.S. history, lasting for an unprecedented 43 days.
January 26, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
