Congressional leaders reach deal to avoid a government shutdown before election

Congress is returning to Washington with a nailbiter of an election hovering and an even more pressing task. Funding for most of the government is due to run out next week. Congressional leaders announced another short-term deal to punt more partisan fights over spending until after the election. Lisa Desjardins is tracking the movements on Capitol Hill.

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Amna Nawaz: Congress is returning to town with the election hovering, and funding for most of the government is set to run out a week from today.

Geoff Bennett: Congressional leaders announced another short-term proposal to punt more partisan fights over spending until after the election.

Lisa Desjardins is tracking the movements on Capitol Hill and joins us now.

Lisa, so here we go again.

Lisa Desjardins: Yes.

Geoff Bennett: What’s in this deal exactly?

Lisa Desjardins: OK, let’s talk about this. This came together over the weekend from the Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress.

First thing people should know, this would extend government funding to a new date, December 20. Of course, that is after the election, but before a new president would be sworn in. This includes $231 million for Secret Service, and it explicitly says that can be spent now on the current campaign season, obviously, concern from both parties, protection, including former President Trump.

What is not in here, there will not be any increased funding for Veterans Affairs. That is something that Democrats say they particularly tried to get in this bill. The VA is constrained, constrained right now for resources, but Republicans, they say, would not agree to it.

As you said, this is standard procedure, but coming now in such a tense election year, both parties’ leadership realized they need to get this through. Republican leaders don’t want to shut down and Democrats want to focus on the election.

Geoff Bennett: So what happens now? What are you watching for next?

Lisa Desjardins: OK, so the first thing is, we’re waiting to see how this happens. We do expect this to pass both chambers. It’s a question of, how dramatic is it?

The House is likely to move on this tomorrow or Wednesday. Now, we are watching in the Senate some senators, conservatives like Mike Lee of Utah, who often brings up his objections to spending and other things because he knows he can try and run out the Senate clock, get some attention for it.

This would — could come close to the wire to next Monday’s deadline, but all expect in the end it will likely pass. The other person to watch very closely is former President Donald Trump. He said he would oppose. He told Speaker Johnson to oppose a deal like this without attached legislation he wanted.

Is he going to fight again against this deal? Is he going to push for a shutdown? And, more importantly, is he going to raise problems for Speaker Johnson? We know recent Republican speakers of the House do not have an easy job, and their job security also is not the greatest.

Geoff Bennett: That is indeed true.

Lisa Desjardins, thanks so much.