Month: January 2018

It’s State of the Union week in Washington as lawmakers await President Trump’s first installment of the annual address tomorrow night. The speech gives the White House a valuable opportunity to reset the legislative playbook after the past few weeks of government shutdown drama, although the underlying issues of a broad budget deal and a plan for the Dreamers continue to loom large. As a reminder, the current continuing resolution (CR) funding the government is due to expire on Feb. 8.

Continue reading “This Week on the Hill: Trump’s First SOTU; House Votes on Defense Spending and Senate Considers Abortion Bill”

It’s been a quiet week in Washington since Monday’s shutdown drama, but both sides are starting to set the parameters for the next round of fights on government funding and immigration. President Trump took a conciliatory tone in comments to reporters in Davos, Switzerland yesterday, saying that Dreamers could “morph into” citizens over a period of 10-12 years — a break from past statements on the issue. While far from a commitment, the position may move the White House and congressional Democrats closer to a deal for the immigrants covered under the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Congress Postures on Immigration; Senate Clears Noms Queue”

Despite fervent behind-the-scenes negotiations in Congress, the passage of another stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded past Jan. 19 is growing increasingly likely. This is primarily due to the contentious split on immigration and the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program as rank-and-file members in both parties appear to have drawn lines in the sand over what can be included in any compromise. A rumored continuing resolution (CR) would provide funding through the Presidents’ Day holiday next month and include similar short-term fixes for the program deadlines tied to the funding bill, such as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). While many budget hawks will have serious hesitations about voting for another short-term extension, it seems the most likely outcome given that the current continuing resolution is due to expire in just over a week.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Another CR Seems Likely as Immigration Divide Continues; House to Hold FISA Fight”

Government funding negotiations continue to stall, as congressional Republicans and While House officials are growing increasingly skeptical that a long term budget agreement will be reached in the next 11 days.  Party leaders from both sides of the aisle have been working to raise stiff spending caps before the Jan. 19 deadline, yet Democrats and Republicans are still far apart on many key issues — most notably, border security and immigration provisions. President Trump has renewed calls that his proposed border wall be included in any deal over the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which Trump is ending in March. Democrats, who are pushing to include protections for young immigrants in a spending bill, say that a border wall is a non-starter for them. With no agreement in sight, it likely means that another short-term continuing resolution (CR) will be needed to keep the government open.

Continue reading “Today on the Hill: Azar Appears Before Senate Finance Committee, Funding Negotiations Continue to Stall”