Congress is back in Washington and facing down a ticking clock.
Lawmakers have four days to fund the government past Sept. 30 or risk a shutdown, and each chamber is pushing ahead with its own plan.
The Senate, which doesn’t normally go first on funding bills, on Tuesday unveiled and advanced its own proposal for a short-term solution to fund the government for six weeks and stave off a shutdown.
In the House, Republicans advanced four full-year spending bills, handing Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) an incremental victory but doing little to stave off a shutdown this weekend.
Follow along throughout the day for updates below.
McCarthy eyes Friday vote on GOP-crafted CR
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday said he is looking to vote on a Republican-crafted continuing resolution on Friday, one day before the government shutdown deadline.
McCarthy said votes on four individual, full-year appropriations bills “will take us to Thursday,” so the vote on the continuing resolution would occur “probably on Friday.”
The Speaker suggested that the stopgap bill he brings to the floor would be the same one House GOP leaders unveiled to the conference last week.
That measure would fund the government through Oct. 31, lower spending to a top-line level of $1.471 for that duration — a key request among conservatives — include a bulk of the House GOP conference’s marquee border bill, H.R. 2, and it would establish a commission on the national debt to examine mandatory and discretionary spending.
“We will move a continuing resolution, bring a rule to the floor, to secure our border and keep government open,” McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday.
A number of hardline conservatives, however, have said they will never vote for a continuing resolution, spelling trouble for McCarthy as he looks to get the proposal over the finish line.
— Mychael Schnell
House GOP advances four spending bills after failed attempts
House Republicans on Tuesday advanced four full-year spending bills, handing Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) a small win but doing little to stave off a government shutdown at the end of the month.
The chamber voted 216-212 to begin consideration of spending measures to fund the Department of Defense; Department of Homeland Security; Department of State and foreign operations; and the Department of Agriculture, rural development and Food and Drug Administration.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was the lone GOP “no” vote.
The successful procedural vote marks an incremental win for McCarthy, who has struggled to advance spending measures this month amid conservative opposition. The House tried to advance the Department of Defense appropriations bill twice last week, with hardline opposition sinking the measure both times.
— Mychael Schnell
Gaetz: ‘We will see’ if Democrats ‘bail out our failed Speaker’
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on the House floor all but promised to force a vote on ousting Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his post.
“The one thing I agree with my Democrat colleagues on is that for the last eight months, this House has been poorly led,” he said. “And we own that, and we have to do something about it. And you know what? My Democrat colleagues will have an opportunity to do something about that, too. And we will see if they bail out our failed Speaker.”
Senate votes to advance short-term funding bill
The Senate voted Tuesday to advance a short-term funding measure to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the week.
The Senate voted 77 to 19 to advance the legislative vehicle they will use for a continuing resolution funding government until Nov. 17.
The vote puts the Senate on a path to pass a continuing resolution (CR) later this week that it could then send to the House to avoid a shutdown on Oct. 1.
— Alexander Bolton
McConnell lauds bipartisan Senate CR
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in floor remarks Tuesday endorsed the bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) that the Senate unveiled Tuesday afternoon.
“The clearest path forward is a standard, short-term continuing resolution. Our work this week needs to produce the resources and flexibility to maintain essential government functions at their current rates of operation, while progress on full year appropriations continues,” McConnell said.
The CR the Senate unveiled extends government funding through Nov. 17 and includes some money for Ukraine and disaster relief.
“In order to work on appropriations, to continue uninterrupted, Congress needs to extend government funding by the end of this week,” McConnell said. “The sooner Congress keeps the light on, the sooner these important conversations can resume.”
— Sarah Fortinsky
Senators unveil bill to avoid shutdown
Senate negotiators on Tuesday unveiled a 79-page bill to fund the government until Nov. 17 in hopes of averting a shutdown when current funding expires this weekend.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) described the measure as a “bridge” to avoid a shutdown and give lawmakers more time to negotiate a longer-term funding solution.
READ THE DEVELOPING STORY HERE.
— Alexander Bolton
Schumer touts bipartisan Senate CR
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Tuesday that the Senate would hold a procedural vote that afternoon on a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) that would avert a government shutdown, extending funding at current levels while including aid for Ukraine and for natural disaster relief.
In remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday, Schumer touted the bipartisan work as he slammed Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for moving forward on appropriations bills that are doomed to fail in the Senate and which do not work towards averting a shutdown – which would take effect at the end of September if Congress does not pass a CR.
“This bipartisan CR is a temporary solution, a bridge towards cooperation and away from extremism. And it will allow us to keep working to fully fund the federal government and spare American families the pain of a shutdown,” Schumer said.
“While for sure this bill does not have everything either side wants, it will continue to fund the government at present levels, while maintaining our commitment to Ukraine’s security and humanitarian needs, while also ensuring those impacted by natural disasters across the country begin to get the resources they need,” Schumer said, adding, “The Senate CR is a good, sensible and bipartisan – let me emphasize, bipartisan — bill.”
— Sarah Fortinksy
Greene protests Ukraine aid money
(Greg Nash/The Hill)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) took to the steps of the Capitol on Tuesday to protest money going to Ukraine.
Greene, a long-time opponent of U.S. assistance going to help defend Kyiv from Russia’s invasion, last week sank a Pentagon funding bill over Ukraine aid.
She also says she is a “hard no” on a vote to advance a package of spending bills because two contain aid for Ukraine.
McCarthy plans to bring that package up for a procedural vote tonight and can afford to lose only a handful of Republican votes.
(Greg Nash/The Hill)
Greene last week took to X to complain that House leadership had broken its promise by preparing to move an appropriations bill with Ukraine funding.
“The rule is the first step of advancing this blood money in Congress,” she wrote on Sunday.
– Sarakshi Rai
McCarthy: Meeting with Biden is ‘very important’
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday said it would be “very important” to meet with President Biden amid discussions over averting a government shutdown and addressing the situation at the southern border.
“I think it would be very important to have a meeting with the president,” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol.
The comment came after a reporter asked the Speaker why he would not consider cutting a deal with Democrats to keep the government open past the end of the month, as a number of hardline conservatives express opposition to proposed short-term funding stopgaps.
“Why don’t we just cut a deal with the president?” McCarthy responded.
— Mychael Schnell
McCarthy answers burning shutdown questions
Here is rundown of Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s many comments to reporters on Tuesday on the House GOP’s strategy on a shutdown, the complicating factors he faces, and more:
On whether he is worried about moderate Republicans working with Democrats on a discharge petition to force a vote on an alternative CR: “I’m not worried about that.”
On the timing for a second shot on a GOP-only CR: “I’ll work with the Leader [Scalise],” but would have vote before the Saturday shutdown deadline.
How long McCarthy is looking for the GOP CR to last: 30 to 45 days
Whether White House’s Ukraine aid request would be part of CR: “My answer would be no. That should be dealt with in a supplemental [funding package] when you do it. So, those are two separate things.”
On threats of a motion to vacate, forcing a vote to oust him: “I’m not worried … The only thing I care about is fighting for the American people.”
On Trump’s call for shutdown unless Republicans get every demand: “President Trump always – The art of negotiation. He’s always putting different out there … I like to keep government open. I like to keep government working in the right direction.”
On the chances for a shutdown: “I don’t know, you’d have to ask President Biden … Let’s do something on the border, keep government open, and show this nation that we can do it right and solve the rest of our problems as we go.”
On GOP holdouts against any stopgap bill: “I don’t understand why would they would want to stand with the President and an open border against against an opportunity to secure the border.”
– Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell
ICYMI: Moderate Republicans plot last-ditch shutdown plan with Democrats
A small but significant number of moderate GOP lawmakers are plotting a path toward potentially working with Democrats to fund the government past Sept. 30 and combat a shutdown.
At least three Republicans — Reps. Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Don Bacon (Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) — have expressed an openness to joining Democrats in signing a discharge petition, a mechanism to force a vote on a measure against the wishes of the Speaker.
Signing an opposing party’s discharge petition would be an act of political mutiny, so the increased public conversation — and support — surrounding the break-the-glass option underscores the pressure lawmakers are under as they race to prevent an end-of-month shutdown after the House GOP flailed on multiple spending fronts last week.
— Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks
McCarthy leans in on border messaging
Speaker Kevin McCarthy is framing the fight over government funding in terms of border policy as he aims for a second shot this week at passing a bill that would pair a a short-term government funding extension with a swath of border policy changes.
“The president could keep government open by doing something on the border,” McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday.
The strategy is to set up the House to negotiate border concessions from the Senate and the White House. Last week, holdouts blocked a proposal that would pair a month-long stopgap with spending cuts and the bulk of the House GOP’s H.R. 2 border crackdown bill, as they demanded other concessions on funding measures.
Asked about how he can sway the holdouts opposing any kind of stopgap, McCarthy said: “If they want to stand with the President by keeping the border open, I think that’d be a wrong position.”
— Emily Brooks
When would a government shutdown begin?
Right now, the government is funded through 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30. So a shutdown would start at midnight Oct. 1, which is Sunday.
Gaetz asks for pay to be withheld during potential shutdown
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is requesting that his pay be withheld during a potential government shutdown as the Florida Republican has remained opposed to any short-term spending agreements.
“It is my understanding that pursuant to the Constitution, members of Congress will continue to receive their pay during a lapse in appropriations. Therefore, I am requesting that in the case of a lapse of appropriations beginning at 12:00 a.m. on October 1, 2023, my pay be withheld until legislation has taken effect to end such lapse in appropriations in its entirety,” Gaetz wrote in a letter to Catherine Szpindor, House chief administrative officer.
— Lauren Sforza
In other news: Landslide of Democrats call for Menendez to step down
A landslide of Democrats on Tuesday called for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to step down after he was indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was among the most prominent to do so.
Booker said in a lengthy statement that Menendez is making a “mistake” by not stepping down in order to focus on his legal defense against what he called “shocking allegations” that were laid out by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York on Friday.
On Tuesday morning alone, 10 Senate Democrats said that the three-term senator should step down, including a number of prominent members: Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), and Booker.
— Al Weaver
A defining moment for McCarthy
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has had a tough time wrangling his party to prevent a shutdown.
“A handful of holdouts have opposed any kind of short-term funding measure, preventing the Speaker from passing a GOP-only stopgap before negotiating with Democrats.” (The Hill)
More from The Hill: Democrats sharpen shutdown attacks on McCarthy, GOP
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) talks to reporters as Congress returns to work in crisis with a few days to go before a government shutdown at the Capitol.
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
McCarthy dodges question on Senate CR talks
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) would not comment Tuesday on talks between Senate leaders on a short-term government funding stopgap measure.
The Senate, concerned about the chances of the House moving a funding measure in time, is eyeing its own short-term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government past Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown.
McCarthy would not comment, citing the question as a hypothetical.
“I’m not going to take up hypotheticals of someday dreaming the Senate’s gonna do something,” McCarthy told reporters Tuesday morning. “When they do something, come back and ask me about something.”
The Senate is scheduled to take the first in a series of procedural votes Tuesday afternoon on a bill that could serve as a legislative vehicle for a continuing resolution.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) both want to avoid a government shutdown.
— Mychael Schnell
McCarthy says he wants to put stopgap on floor this week
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Tuesday morning he wants to bring a stopgap bill to the House floor this week, as a Saturday night shutdown deadline looms.
“I would also this week put on the floor [a] continuing resolution that secures our border,” McCarthy told reporters in the Capitol.
House GOP leaders wanted to put a short-term stopgap bill on the floor last week, but they pulled a procedural vote after a number of conservative lawmakers lined up against the legislation.
Leadership then presented a new continuing resolution proposal, which would extend funding until Oct. 31, decrease spending during that time period, include a bulk of the House GOP conference’s marquee border bill and create a commission on the national debt to examine mandatory and discretionary spending.
But in response, a handful of conservatives reiterated that they will never support a continuing resolution.
McCarthy reiterated Tuesday that he does not want the government to shut down.
“I don’t think shutdowns ever help,” the Speaker said.
— Mychael Schnell
Senate headed toward short-term, relatively clean, stopgap funding measure
Senate leaders are headed toward unveiling a short-term government funding stopgap measure that will be relatively clean and is not expected to include significant amounts of money for the war in Ukraine or disaster relief, according to sources familiar with the talks.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) want to avoid a government shutdown at week’s end, first and foremost.
Whether the continuing resolution (CR) will include any money for supporting the war in Ukraine is an issue the leaders are still negotiating, but if Ukraine money is included it will be far less than the $24 billion that President Biden requested for Ukraine in August, according to people familiar with the state of play.
Disaster relief money is also in limbo, as Democrats want to tie it to Biden’s full request for emergency funding.
— Alexander Bolton
House procedural vote this evening will set tone for week
The House will vote this evening on whether to advance four full-year appropriations bills for fiscal 2024 — a move that does nothing to avert a shutdown, but that House GOP leaders hope will build enough goodwill that holdouts on a stopgap funding bill will relent and advance a GOP-only short-term funding bill later this week.
The thinking is that a GOP-only stopgap sets the chamber up to extract concessions and compromises from the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Last week, GOP holdouts blocked consideration of a stopgap as they demanded further cuts across all appropriations bills. Now, leaders appear to have an agreement for such cuts.
But a handful of holdouts remain opposed to a stopgap of any kind — putting the leaders of the razor-thin majority in a tough spot.
It is also still unclear whether Republicans have the votes to advance the appropriations bills this evening. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she will vote against the procedural “rule” after leaders reversed course on removing around $300 million of funds going to Ukraine from the bill.
— Emily Brooks
Today’s key votes
- 5:30 p.m.: Senate takes a procedural vote on the legislative vehicle it hopes to use for its short-term funding stopgap
- 6:30 p.m.: House votes on whether to advance four full-year funding bills
T minus 5 days until possible government shutdown
With five days remaining until a possible government shutdown, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and his allies are heading toward their next big gamble in the spending crisis, but it’s still not clear they have the votes.
House GOP leaders will try to move forward on four spending bills today that are full of conservative policy priorities but would do nothing to avert a shutdown.
Read The Hill’s Morning Report here.
McCarthy faces defining moment with GOP shutdown drama
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is facing the most defining moment yet of his tenure as he struggles to win over House Republicans on legislation to keep the government open.
The California Republican is facing explicit threats to his gavel and has no clear path through the blockade with less than a week to go to prevent a shutdown.
A handful of holdouts have opposed any kind of short-term funding measure, preventing the Speaker from passing a GOP-only stopgap before negotiating with Democrats.
But McCarthy, so far, has resisted finding a compromise with Democrats, whose support for a measure is a requirement given their control of the Senate and White House, but which would inflame those seeking to oust him.
McCarthy has already survived a series of threats to his Speakership, but it is unclear how he’ll get out of his present jam.
— Emily Brooks