Approaching Government Shutdown Looms Over Newly Elected Speaker

Now that the House has a Speaker again, Congress can get back to trying to make sure the government doesn’t shut down in three weeks.

When Congress passed the continuing resolution (CR) at the end of September, they gave themselves until November 17th to approve a full-year funding plan. The 22-day Speaker search has made meeting that deadline a lot less likely.

“There’s zero possibility that by November 17th, we’re going to have all 12 appropriations bills done,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said.

The new House Speaker Mike Johnson seems to realize that, and is reportedly likely to endorse a new CR that goes into January. He has yet to offer details, just a pledge to get right to work.

“You’re going to see an aggressive schedule in the days and weeks ahead,” Johnson said. “You’re going to see Congress working as hard as it’s ever worked, and we are going to deliver for the American people.”

Johnson’s supporters are optimistic that, despite the lost time, he will not be pressured to continue kicking the same can down the same road.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to find a good solution, a conservative solution,” Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) said.

Others in the conference have more specific ideas of how Congress should solve the looming funding crisis.

“My view is - the sensible thing to do now would be a CR to January first that also has language to include the Lankford End Government Shutdowns Bill,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) said.

The Lankford End Government Shutdowns Bill is a bipartisan measure Sen. Lankford has been pushing for years now. This bill has been gaining traction recently, and came to the Senate floor Wednesday.

“The idea is really very simple,” Lankford said. “If Congress gets to the end of the fiscal year and the appropriations work is not done, we stay in session seven days a week.”

The bill was actually considered as an amendment to an appropriations measure, and it came up just four votes short of passing. Lankford is confident there will be additional opportunities for passage in the near future.