January 16, 2024: A New CR Makes a Busy Spring Busier

With just days until funding for several federal agencies runs out on January 19, Congress’ plan is to pass a short-term CR until March 1 and March 8, 2024 to allow more time to negotiate for the rest of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. Below is a breakdown of what’s in this latest plan and what it means for the next few (very) busy months on Capitol Hill. 

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What’s in the new CR?

This weekend, Congressional leaders unveiled a new continuing resolution (CR) that extends funding for federal agencies covered by the Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills until March 1, 2024. The other eight appropriations bills will expire a week later, on March 8. The bill also extends funding for various expiring programs, such as community health centers, through March 8. 

As we shared on November 13, this two-tiered CR approach has precedent, but presents a few pitfalls (read that update for more details). So, why try this approach again when it has failed before? We can only speculate, but far-right House members are against omnibus appropriations bills. As such, Speaker Johnson may attempt to placate that faction by avoiding  an omnibus.

What happens next?

The Senate plans to take up the CR on Tuesday. The chamber will need to sidestep any procedural hurdles to send it quickly to the House, where it will face different challenges. 

GOP absences leave Republicans with just 218 members voting this week—the exact number needed to pass bills under regular order. Far-right House members have criticized the CR and, therefore, aren’t likely to support the “rule” that must pass to even consider the bill. Since minority members typically oppose the rule unanimously, Speaker Johnson will have to bring the CR to the floor under suspension of the rules. This requires two-thirds of the House to vote “yes” for the bill to pass, meaning Speaker Johnson must rely on Democrats’ support. While Democrats have signaled that they’ll vote for the CR, the Speaker must convince 77 Republicans to do the same for it to pass—even with every Democrat voting “yes.”

This will be the second time in three months on the job that Speaker Johnson will need Democratic members to bail him out of a crisis. Whether that angers his GOP critics enough to oust him a la former Speaker McCarthy remains to be seen. 

And then what happens if the CR passes?

If this CR passes, Congress will have an extra six weeks to finalize spending bills for the rest of FY2024—which, at that point, will be just seven months. While Speaker Johnson and Senator Schumer have agreed to topline spending levels for those bills, lawmakers must use these six weeks to allocate that funding among the 12 appropriations bills. They must also settle debates over policy riders. Adding another obstacle, far-right House members are urging the Speaker to insist on extreme immigration policy changes in exchange for keeping the government open. 

If Congress manages to navigate all of these hurdles and pass full-year FY2024 spending bills by the CR’s March 1 and 8 deadlines, it will have to immediately renew the FAA’s authorities and address a looming FISA deadline—and begin working on FY2025 spending bills.  

Long story short: Congress has a busy spring ahead. We’ll continue to keep you updated.