Stopgap Budget Proposal Emerges to Delay Government Shutdown
A stopgap provision has been introduced that will allow the federal government to continue normal operations until March 18.
A new measure has been introduced in the House that will allow the federal government to avoid a shutdown on March 4, but it's going to meet with resistance while lawmakers spar about short-term and long-term budget goals. The battle lines are shaping up interestingly for the weeks to come, with Republicans and Democrats trying to figure out the best way to protect their respective agendas. The influx of new Republican and Tea Party-supported candidates all but ensures the fact that significant budget cuts are going to happen this year.
But a Democratic Senate and the Obama White House are going to try to limit the cuts and protect programs that they feel are vital to their constituency. Republican proposals already project at least $60 billion cut out of the budget in the coming months, but the two-week compromise legislation seems focused on only $4 billion that had already been targeted by the Obama administration for cuts.
Basically, the stopgap measure is just that and will provide a little bit more time to try to work out a deal. No one seems to be overtly opposed to the stopgap measure, but several lawmakers have noted that it doesn't provide enough time to make any meaningful progress on a long-term negotiation.
The White House addressed the situation carefully, noting that they are pleased that some progress has been made and that things appear headed in the right direction. Part of that tone is related to the fact that the slight Democratic majority in the Senate includes several Senators who are on board with significant budget cuts. So even though it's technically a Democratic Senate, on budget issues it would appear that the GOP is going to have the upper hand in both houses of Congress.
But a Democratic Senate and the Obama White House are going to try to limit the cuts and protect programs that they feel are vital to their constituency. Republican proposals already project at least $60 billion cut out of the budget in the coming months, but the two-week compromise legislation seems focused on only $4 billion that had already been targeted by the Obama administration for cuts.
Basically, the stopgap measure is just that and will provide a little bit more time to try to work out a deal. No one seems to be overtly opposed to the stopgap measure, but several lawmakers have noted that it doesn't provide enough time to make any meaningful progress on a long-term negotiation.
The White House addressed the situation carefully, noting that they are pleased that some progress has been made and that things appear headed in the right direction. Part of that tone is related to the fact that the slight Democratic majority in the Senate includes several Senators who are on board with significant budget cuts. So even though it's technically a Democratic Senate, on budget issues it would appear that the GOP is going to have the upper hand in both houses of Congress.
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