The Latest on Where Things Stand in Government Funding
A pair of competing government funding strategies are emerging as Congress brushes up against next Friday’s deadline. Specifically, the “four corners” leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are reportedly on the cusp of an agreement on topline spending figures for fiscal year (FY) 2025, a critical precursor to the development appropriations bills that […]

- March 5, 2024
The Latest on the Senate GOP Leadership Race
The race to replace Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is beginning to take shape ahead of the highly-anticipated November 2024 leadership elections. Notably, Senate GOP Whip John Thune (R-SD) said yesterday that he “hopes” to be elevated to the position of GOP Leader in the fall, joining former Senate GOP Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) […]
- March 4, 2024
Congress Readies Six-Bill Spending Package
Congressional leadership has unveiled legislative text of a six-bill “minibus” spending package for consideration this week as lawmakers look to clear the decks on fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations this month. The spending package contains the funding measures for Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water Development, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD, as funding for this tranche expires Friday at midnight. […]
- February 28, 2024
Leadership Set to Announce New Government Funding Strategy
Yesterday’s meeting between President Biden and the “big four” congressional leaders appears to have yielded a tangible result in the form of another last-minute continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded. Under the emerging plan, six funding bills — Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-VA, Energy-Water, Transportation-HUD, Interior-Environment, and Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) — would be punted […]
- February 26, 2024
Appropriations Talks Hit Snag as Deadlines Approach
Lawmakers will return this week as leadership scrambles to figure out a path forward for keeping the federal government funded. Here’s an overview of where things stand as we approach the upcoming March deadlines. What happened? Leadership was originally hoping to unveil text of the first fiscal year (FY) 2024 spending bills over the […]
- February 23, 2024
Next Steps on Government Funding to be Announced Sunday
With one week until the March 1 government funding deadline, multiple reports from Capitol Hill indicate that congressional leadership will announce next steps in the government funding process on Sunday. As of now, expectations are that appropriations leaders will either announce a deal on a pair of “minibus” spending packages that carry all 12 bills […]
- February 22, 2024
House Freedom Caucus Outlines Demands for FY 2024 Spending
Conservative lawmakers on the House Freedom Caucus are continuing their push for policy priorities and spending cuts as the March government funding deadlines approach. In a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), 28 House Republicans — led by Reps. Bob Good (R-VA) and Chip Roy (R-TX) — asked for an update on roughly two-dozen policy riders that […]
- February 21, 2024
The Latest on FY 2024 Government Funding
Lawmakers will return next week to confront the fast-approaching March government funding deadlines, starting with the March 1 date for Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water Development, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD. While leadership has cited progress in the talks, another stopgap funding bill will likely be needed to keep the government funded beyond the March 1 and March 8 […]
- February 14, 2024
Democrats Win NY-03 Special Election
Democrats scored a key victory in yesterday’s special election in New York’s 3rd congressional district to replace former Rep. George Santos (R-NY). Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), who departed the House in 2022 to pursue a bid for the Empire State’s governor’s mansion, defeated local GOP county legislator Mazi Pilip by eight points in a race […]
- February 14, 2024
House Votes to Impeach Homeland Security Secretary
In a party line vote of 214-213, the House voted yesterday to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking the first time a Cabinet official has been impeached since 1876. Notably, the presence of Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), who has been away from Washington receiving medical treatment, pushed the vote over […]
- February 13, 2024
Senate Passes Foreign Aid Supplemental
Early this morning, the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid funding bill before gaveling out for the chamber’s two-week Presidents’ Day state work period. The funding bill — which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, the Senate Banking Committee’s Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, and $400 million for […]
- February 12, 2024
Senate Eyes Final Passage of Foreign Aid Supplemental
Both chambers will be back in session for the early part of this week, but senators are not expected to stick around too long. As of the current schedule, the Senate is slated to be in session until at least Tuesday to complete consideration of the foreign aid supplemental before leaving for the chamber’s Presidents’ […]
- February 9, 2024
Senate in for Weekend Work to Advance Foreign Aid Funding
The Senate will be in for legislative business throughout the weekend and into part of next week as it looks to pass the foreign aid supplemental funding bill before leaving for the Presidents’ Day state work period. While Leaders Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) were hopeful to reach a “time agreement” for expedited […]