As the federal government funding deadline looms at the end of the week, lawmakers are racing to prevent a partial shutdown. Despite passing a package of six bills in early March to fund various government agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year, critical operations still require funding by Friday, March 22.
Key departments such as Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, and the legislative branch are among those awaiting funding. The Department of Homeland Security has emerged as a contentious issue in the funding debate, particularly due to partisan disagreements over border policy.
The current fiscal year began over five months ago on October 1, 2023, leading to a series of fiscal cliffs as a result of short-term funding extensions. Congress is now on the brink of completing the annual appropriations process, but challenges remain.
In the Senate, lawmakers must secure a time agreement to pass the legislation before the shutdown deadline. Any objection from a senator could impede progress and potentially lead to a missed deadline. Meanwhile, in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson faces challenges due to a narrow majority and opposition from hardline conservatives.
Speaker Johnson had to rely on bipartisan support to pass the recent six-bill funding package, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden. The package included funding for various departments such as Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Food and Drug Administration.
Johnson's leadership has faced scrutiny, with concerns over potential backlash from the far-right wing of his conference. His predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, was ousted last year, leading to a period of turmoil within House Republicans as they sought a new leader. Many Republicans are wary of a repeat scenario.
