WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – This week Congress is expected to move forward with a government funding package.
Leaders say they struck a deal to avoid a shutdown, but it took some tough compromises to get there.
The funding deadline is less than a week away, but congressional leaders are hoping they can avoid it by quickly passing a stop gap funding bill.
“We aren’t out of the woods yet, but we know now that we reached a bipartisan agreement, I hope that we’re on track to avoid a shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Leaders of the Democrat-controlled Senate and the Republican controlled House are moving forward with a new short term spending deal.
Their agreement would fund the government at its current levels until December 20th.
“This agreement could have very easily been reached weeks ago,” said Schumer.
Democrats say the reason it wasn’t is Republicans tried to attach the SAVE Act. A measure that would have required proof of citizenship to vote but that couldn’t get enough support to pass in the House.
“You wasted more of our time on the same MAGA right wing nonsense. So we find ourselves funding the government at the 11th hour once again,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).
Without the SAVE Act linked, former president Donald Trump told Republicans they shouldn’t move forward with any funding plan and some conservatives agree.
“I’m not going to support it. I’m not going to vote for a CR into December,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas.).
The full House is expected to vote on it by Wednesday and if it passes it will move to the Senate.
“With a few more days of bipartisanship and speed and good faith we can get the job done,” said Schumer.
The new funding bill does include an extra $231 million for the Secret Service to bolster the agency after two assassination attempts on former President Trump.
