Last week there was no breakthrough on how leadership will move a budget resolution.  The public optimism of House leadership has not won over enough conservatives who still want to lower the budget caps agreed to last December.  Budget Chairman Congressman Tom Price R-GA) has not been able to convince members to stick with the agreed to spending limits in exchange for proposed cuts to entitlement and mandatory spending.

Senate Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) met with House conservatives but nothing had changed by week’s end.  McConnell plans to set aside three months of Senate floor time for appropriations.

In fact, Congress does not need to pass a budget resolution but that would likely mean that the House and Senate will be passing bills with different ceilings under each of the 12 subcommittees spending allocations. It is likely the House will start to act on some appropriations matters and hearings soon since the spring break will start to eat up part of late March and early April.