Orange and yellow candy corn triangles are now scattered around the house. Reese’s Cups have now changed from their original, fluted wafer form to Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pumpkin. When you take the dog for a walk he regularly gets nervous and when you turn a corner in your neighborhood some mechanical vampire starts laughing evilly.
The calendar rotated uninterrupted from September to October. This is particularly rampant in Congress. And while September is “government shutdown season” on Capitol Hill, Congress got away with it this year. Bipartisan lawmakers have approved a stopgap spending measure that keeps the lights on until Dec. 20. That’s why those who work hard on Capitol Hill — or for the federal government — can enjoy the “Halloween” season this October. They do not need to focus on “continuing resolutions” to keep the government afloat. They may adopt clarifications rather than appropriations.
The salvation of September also saved Thanksgiving the following month. It is customary for Congress to approve a stopgap spending bill once or twice. Depending on the Congress schedule – and if it is an election year – one could run the government by mid-October or later. Others may punt right before or after Thanksgiving.
But this year’s emergency spending plan is special. It gives money to the government for autumn. All of October. Throughout November. It’s ending just before Christmas. So does everyone get to celebrate Christmas on Capitol Hill? Don’t trust it.
United States – May 23: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., holds his weekly news conference at the Capitol Visitor Center on Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
You got Halloween and Thanksgiving. Two out of three isn’t bad.
During a meeting of the House Rules Committee preparing the temporary spending package, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., asked, “Why did we choose Dec. 20?” “Because that’s why we always celebrate December 20th. Everyone here is human. There are no AI or robots in Congress. And when you get to December 20th, you’re five days away from Christmas. You’re four It’s a few days before Christmas. And you want to be there with your family. That’s when the leadership here has the most impact.”
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Massey argues that bipartisan congressional leaders choose such a date so they can maximize their influence on members. The proximity of the holidays helps leaders wrangle votes to pass another spending plan – anything – to avoid a government shutdown over the holidays.
Massie said he’s been in meetings where the Speaker of the House basically threatens Republicans that they better vote ‘yes’ on a spending measure.
“(He) comes in and says ‘If you vote for this you can go home and open presents with your kids. And if you don’t vote for this, you can come here to Nancy Pelosi’s Going to celebrate Christmas together. And then the slogans started ‘Vote! Vote!’ In fact, people get excited about voting for something they haven’t read,” Massey said.
Clouds of jet smoke will waft over the Capitol in mid-December as lawmakers try to fund the government and avoid a shutdown over Christmas. The question is, how long can a spending plan last? Deep into calendar year 2025? Maybe till February? Perhaps in late March as some conservatives have advocated? Or, will lawmakers actually reach an agreement on the 12 annual spending bills or reject a few one by one?
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is dismissing an “omnibus.” He also talks about driving a “minibus”. This is where they glorify multiple spending measures at once. It is not “omnibus”. It is smaller, hence the comparison with “Volkswagen”.
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However, the duration of another interim spending plan depends on which party controls the House and Senate next year — as well as who wins the White House. The wishes of the newly elected president will motivate lawmakers to steer the spending bill in his direction.
But in September, the goal was to avoid a shutdown — and get over the tough stuff afterward.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said last month, “We don’t have time. We can’t afford a shutdown.” “This path ensures that Americans are not punished with an unnecessarily costly shutdown and, importantly, allows the next President to have a say in the appropriations process.”
Boo baskets are a new Halloween tradition for people of all ages. (iStock)
Even though the Democratic-controlled Senate introduced zero spending bills on the floor this year, the Republican-run House fared slightly better, approving five appropriations measures. But Cole partly blamed his own GOP colleagues for the legislative hurdles.
Cole said, “We are the majority. The majority must rule.”
He said it was “disappointing” that the House GOP majority again had to rely on Democrats to prevent a shutdown.
That’s why Cole and others are hopeful that the House will be able to settle some, if not all, of the remaining spending bills after the election. Otherwise, a miserable holiday season awaits.
Like Massey, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Tex., warned against “a crazy, giant, omnipresent train that’s essentially doing something right before Christmas.”
So how will Johnson manage this? Especially with the distinct possibility of Congress propping up FEMA with an “urgently needed” bill as soon as lawmakers return in mid-November? Then there is the question of shutdown in December. And it doesn’t mean approving any plans to deal with Hurricanes Helen and Milton, along with other natural disasters.
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By the way, if it’s clear that Democrats lost the Senate, failed to capture the House, and lost the presidency, there’s a good chance they’ll shy away from assisting Republicans with any spending bill. This could mark the beginning of a possible second term for former President Donald Trump under a government shutdown.
There are plenty of headaches for Mike Johnson as he attempts to fund the government, resolve multiple crises, satisfy angry conservatives who are already complaining about his leadership and possibly hang on to power. Are. Calling foul play could jeopardize Johnson’s position in the Jan. 3 speaker’s election if Republicans retain the majority.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 12: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol after the last of the week’s votes on Thursday, September 12, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
But, what is the right play call for Johnson? No one knows. Johnson tried to appease the right with a spending plan that included a provision to require proof of citizenship to vote last month. However, Republicans could not even pass their bill. In other words, leaning on the margins does not automatically guarantee success in the House Republican convention.
But regardless, there was little drama in passing an interim spending bill to avoid a government shutdown at the end of September.
This opened the door for Capitol Hill residents to enjoy the rest of the month. Embrace Halloween in October. Even Thanksgiving.
But Christmas? You’re kidding me.
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Christmas can be a struggle.
Face it. Christmas came early this year. on September. There was no government shutdown.
That’s why the actual Christmas may be a nightmare this year.
