Posted on 02/01/2022 11:52:28 PM PST by 11th_VA
Congressional negotiators are in danger of missing the Feb. 18 deadline for passing an omnibus package of the annual appropriations for fiscal 2022.
A shutdown is unlikely, but members of the Senate Appropriations Committee from both parties warn that if negotiators blow through the mid-February deadline, it increases the likelihood that Biden will have to settle for a yearlong stopgap funding measure to keep the government open.
That would prevent him from putting his own stamp on department and agency budgets while Democrats control Congress…
"I think the budget has to be next, to be honest. I want BBB to be done, but we have a narrow window to pass a budget, and I want to make sure we get a budget deal," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, referring to the omnibus package.
"You have a limited window on a budget, and you never know what's going to happen in 2022. If we don't get a budget now, there's a chance President Biden will never do a budget with the Democratic Congress," Murphy warned.
"If we miss this deadline, it becomes really hard to avoid a yearlong CR [continuing resolution]," he said.
The growing concern that Biden might not have a chance to put his stamp on the nation's spending priorities while Democrats control both branches of Congress comes amid a wave of Democratic retirements in the House and expectations that Republicans will flip the lower chamber in the midterm elections.
But the prospect of getting the omnibus passed in the next three weeks is slipping…
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
There are also disagreements over policy riders, in particular the so-called Hyde amendment, which was first passed in 1976 and bans federal funding for abortion.
Senate Democrats in October proposed to reduce the increase in domestic programs to 13 percent and boost the military funding increase to 5 percent.
Some Democrats on the Senate Appropriations thought that if they agreed to a 5 percent increase in defense spending, Republicans would then agree to the 13 percent increase in non-defense.
However, Shelby issued a public statement in October criticizing the top-line numbers and the lack of parity between the defense and non-defense spending increases in the Senate Democrats' proposed bills.
So tired of these people pushing everything to the last moment....deliberately!
Hey don’t fret, Mitch will work night and day to save the DNC agenda!
Mitch is the ‘functional’ head of the Senate now. He may not set the agenda, but he has enormous negotiating power.
What a shame.
The Dems can’t do it without him, but they can threaten to starve widows, children and minorities.
Is Ben Civletti (Carter’s AG), the guy responsible, still with us?
“..Hey don’t fret, Mitch will work night and day to save the DNC agenda!...”
Exactly.
The moronic UniParty hack as snatched RAT defeat from the jaws of victory so many times. He needs to be gone....along with all the other “assistant democrat”/UniParty hacks.
It’s the same ole song and dance every time. In the end, the new CR gets signed and someone or some group gets their pockets greased.
Where is the F’ing budget?
🎶 “Kick the Can! Kick the Can! It’s time for Congress to play Kick the Can!” 🎶
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