Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) didn’t rule out a full-year stopgap to maintain the federal government funded by means of the top of the fiscal yr, as lawmakers wrestle to strike a bipartisan deal.
Pressed by reporters of the possibilities of a full-year stopgap, Johnson left the door open on Wednesday afternoon.
“We’re trying to negotiate in good faith, but Democrats have sent over counter offers that are just simply not acceptable, and they know that, and so we’re looking at all options,” he mentioned.
Stories emerged Wednesday afternoon that Johnson was pushing for a full-year funding stopgap, which may preserve funding principally on the ranges hashed out within the final Congress, for the remainder of fiscal yr 2025.
High negotiators have been hopeful of placing a deal hashing out new funding ranges for the rest of fiscal yr 2025. However lawmakers have begun to acknowledge a stopgap of some size is probably going essential to preserve the federal government funded past a mid-March shutdown deadline.
Home Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) mentioned Wednesday that he thinks each side had made progress in bipartisan funding talks following a gathering between the highest Democratic and GOP negotiators in each chambers the evening earlier than.
“I think we’ve made progress, but I don’t think we’re where any of us would want to be,” he mentioned, including that he was in search of a gathering with Johnson.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) mentioned Wednesday that talks aren’t lifeless. She mentioned Democrats are nonetheless urgent for parity in non-defense and protection applications in funding talks, but in addition added that, “the other piece now, because of what we have seen, is that we have to have some kind of assurances that if we get a deal, that the deal stands.”
“I think that’s fair,” she mentioned.
Her feedback come as Democrats see the upcoming shutdown deadline as a method to counter sweeping efforts by President Trump and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to shrink the dimensions of presidency and implement bold funding cuts.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) additionally mentioned this week that Democrats will push for language to unwind the current measures by the Trump administration.
Nevertheless, Cole informed reporters on Wednesday that lawmakers are “not putting anything in bills that limit the president of the United States, and what he can and cannot do.”
“We’re not going to put stuff in legislation,” Cole mentioned. “We do have to have a signature at the end of the day, so he is not irrelevant to the process.”
