Congress Avoids Government Shutdown; What Happens Next?

Congress has avoided a partial government shutdown one day before the deadline but the reprieve will only be temporary.

Related Story: Congress Votes To Avert A Shutdown, Keeps Government Funded Through Early March

Skyler Henry with CBS News joined News On 6 from Washington with an up-close look at what happens next and what it means for the United States and Oklahoma.

Jonathan Cooper: Skyler, what does this mean for all of us?

Skyler Henry: Well, this means that it now goes to the President's desk for his signature and Congress yet again, avoiding a government shutdown. That means that the lights around here will remain on. But it only does so for a short amount of time as these new deadlines, March 1 and March 8, they will have to deal with this again. And members of Congress only have about six days that they will be working together to try to find some common ground on several appropriations bills that have been hung up for the last several months if not years as they have tried to decide what to do in terms of a long-term spending bill.

Now congressional leaders met with President Biden just yesterday to talk about what they want to see in a supplemental deal that would provide additional aid militarily for both Israel and Ukraine as well as get more funding and support down to the US-Mexico border to help with the historic migrant crisis happening down there. We know that there are opposition perspectives based off of which side you talk to, we know that lawmakers say that they have wanted to keep the government open and that ultimately, while this is a "kicking the can down" the road situation that does give them a little bit more time to try to figure out how they want to move forward.

Cooper: All right Skyler, now, the last time we had a spending bill up for debate, of course, we all remember that that's what led to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy getting ousted in part for working with Democrats. I know at least one congressman here in Oklahoma, didn't even support this.

So the house is still divided. Is there a chance that we can go through all of this once again?

Henry: Well, we'll see. Remember that because of the very slim majority that Republicans hold in the House of Representatives, any one of them could bring up legislation to try to oust her now speaker, Mike Johnson, and some have signaled based off of certain stipulations that they may very well do just that. In particular, talking about getting additional funding for Ukraine, we know that there are a handful of Republicans who have questioned how the money is being spent that is being sent to Kyiv. And they say that if additional funding should be part of this deal that congressional leadership and the Biden administration would need come together and figure that out.

Then they say that they could potentially try to look to try to oust their speaker Johnson as well. Now, how much teeth a bill or a move like that would have that remains to be seen. I think that it is very much still a fragile situation. Obviously, Democrats want to move forward. Many Republicans say that they want to continue to get funding out to Ukraine, Israel, and help with the border as well. But, you know, just based off of the numbers, this is something that could very well happen again. As for the appetite and if other Republicans would buy on it, something like that. That remains to be seen.

Cooper: All right, Skyler. Henry, really quickly, what would it take for a long-term deal? I mean, is there a solution for it? You know, it just seems like this is, like you said earlier kicking the can down the road.

Henry: Yeah, well, really, it's a trade-off. Right. When you take a look at what Republicans say they want in terms of more support down at the US-Mexico border, that's more detentions more deportations, less asylum, in certain instances, and then obviously certain amounts of funding to help with Border Patrol agents as well.

Democrats have appeared to give in to those demands in certain capacities. That's in a trade-off for more funding to Israel, Ukraine, and also Taiwan. We should mention that as well. What the dollars and cents ultimately look like when the deal is all said and done. That remains to be seen but that is the trade-off in terms of negotiations. Now both sides are working out the particulars on how to move forward with the deal.