The federal government will not shutdown this weekend after the Senate and House approved legislation that extends current levels of agency funding for at least nine more weeks.
President Biden is expected to sign the new continuing resolution into law before funding expires Friday night.
After the House passed the bill with strong bipartisan support Tuesday evening, the Senate followed quickly on Wednesday, assuring federal employees that agencies will remain open throughout the holiday season and into early 2024. However, the temporary funding bill splits federal agencies into two groups with two different expiration dates, which is unusual and means federal employees will face more funding deadlines in January and February.
The “laddered” CR keeps funding at current levels until January 19, 2024, for agencies and programs funded by the Agriculture, Energy and Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills. The NTEU-represented agencies facing the January 19deadline are USDA, FDA, DOE, and NRC. Agencies and programs funded by the remaining bills—Defense, Homeland Security, State and Foreign Affairs, Legislative Branch, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Labor-HHS, and Commerce, Justice, Science—would see their funding extended at current levels until February 2, 2024.
Although we are pleased that a shutdown was averted once again, there is concern that the “laddered” CR approach will increase the chances for at least a partial shutdown to occur next year. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said yesterday that he will not pass another short-term spending bill and House Republicans continue to push for significant cuts to agency funding levels and controversial policy riders, increasing the likelihood of at least a partial shutdown when we reach these next deadlines.
NTEU will continue to advocate against a shutdown and press for adequate funding for our agencies in a final funding agreement.