The agreement would avoid a government shutdown after December 3rd.
On Thursday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that he had reached an agreement with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on a stopgap measure that will fund federal agencies into mid-February.
.@SenSchumer: "I reached an agreement with Leader McConnell […] on a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government funded through mid-February of next year. This is a good compromise that allows an appropriate amount of time […] to finish negotiations." pic.twitter.com/hF89Kr2wYY
— The Hill (@thehill) December 2, 2021
Congresswoman DeLauro said that she introduced the “Further Extending Government Funding Act” which continues current funding with only minimal changes, creating incentives for both sides to negotiate.
“While I wish the February 18 end date were earlier, this agreement allows the appropriations process to move forward toward a final funding agreement which addresses the needs of the American people,” DeLauro said. “Instead of short-term funding patches like this, working families, small businesses, veterans, and our military need the certainty that comes with passing an omnibus. Republicans must join us for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to resolve our differences and keep government working for the people.”
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman expressed his approval of the bipartisan agreement.
“I am glad that we have reached a bipartisan agreement to keep the government funded through February 18 that includes needed funding to support Afghan refugees,” said Senator Leahy in a statement.
Senator Leahy stated that this agreement gives lawmakers time to resolve their differences and do work on behalf of the American people.
In addition to funding the government before the current resolution expires on December 3rd, Congressional lawmakers have returned from Thanksgiving recess to discuss and vote on a variety of big issues before the end of the year, including this funding resolution as well as defense spending and President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” social agenda package.
There has been no word yet as to how those in the Mississippi federal delegation will vote on the spending measure presented by Senator Schumer. It is expected that Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS 2) will support his party’s efforts, while the state’s Republican members – Senators Roger Wicker (R) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R), and Congressmen Trent Kelly (R-MS 1), Michael Guest (R-MS 3) and Steven Palazzo (R-MS 4) – could oppose the measure or split their votes given the short term nature of the agreement.
