With less than a month to go until the start of the new fiscal year on October 1st, Congress has not agreed on any of the 12 appropriations bill necessary to fund the government. Both the House and Senate Democrats have posted Labor-HHS appropriations bills that include much-needed funding increases for child welfare and child well-being. However, the Chairs and Ranking Members in the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees, dubbed the Four Corners, have not yet come to a final agreement on top line numbers for defense and non-defense spending, and will need to pass a continuing resolution, or CR, to continue funding the government until these agreements are reached.
There are obstacles to passing a CR, however: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated that he will add energy provisions that he and Senator Manchin (D-WV) agreed to during negotiations on the Inflation Reduction Act, a move that will be opposed by Republicans as well as some Democrats. Additionally, President Biden has sent Congress a request for $47.1 billion in emergency supplemental funding that could be attached to a CR that includes $22.4 billion for COVID-related funds, $4.5 billion for monkeypox, and $11.7 billion for Ukraine, among other items. Even with these obstacles, it’s likely that a CR will be passed that extends funding until mid-December.
