Ava Wahl
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Above our nation’s Capitol, a dense cloud hovered, reminding Congress that the fiscal year had almost come to its end. In order to avoid a government shutdown, Congress must solidify its 2024 budget plan by the deadline (in this case, October 1rst) through the passing of 12 annual appropriations bills, or find another way out. Although spending legislation is seldom passed by its deadline, there have only been five true shutdowns in history, the longest of which lasted 35 days from the tail end of December 2018 into January 2019.
Shutdowns lasting several days typically have little impact, whereas prolonged closures can trigger economic decline. The latest shutdown cut around 0.02% ($3 billion) off 2018’s gross domestic product and left several hundred thousand workers temporarily suspended. Federal furloughs of government employees not only leave these citizens unemployed and unpaid, but also amount to additional costs for taxpayers. Non-essential government-run operations such as national parks and passport applications also face closures.
This year, the prospect of a shutdown seemed likely. The appropriations outlined in Biden’s Fiscal Responsibility Act were passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee with support across party lines, yet faced opposition from House Republicans intent on decreased spending and other provisions targeting abortion and LGTBQ issues. Congress had little over a week to find a swift compromise and set a plan in action.
A stopgap spending bill backed by then Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) seemed to be the best approach. This type of bill, often referred to as a continuing resolution (CR), would extend the current budget and funding until a specified date, in this case October 31st. Continuing resolutions have served as convenient solutions to spending disagreements in years past, but pose their own debates and downsides. Congress must agree on a period of extension as well as the linguistics of the bill, all the while planning for a shutdown in the event that the stopgap does not pass in both chambers.
As a first step, Congress raised the issue in a procedural vote that would allow the stopgap proposal to move forward on the floor. The continuing resolution, which included an 8 percent cut in discretionary spending in all departments except Defense and Veteran Affairs, did not gain enough support to pass. Conservative House Republicans voiced their criticism of the bill and argued for a return to 2022 federal spending levels, among other requests. Even if the bill passed in the House, it would’ve had little chance of success in the Democrat-led Senate.
The lack of compromise on this pressing issue sheds light on the fraught conditions in Congress and the potential consequences of political infighting. McCarthy voiced his disappointment and frustration with the hardliners of his party: “I don’t understand why anybody votes against bringing the idea and having the debate”.
Members of Congress were sent home for a one-week recess with no significant progress made and no consensus on how to solve the problem at hand. After returning to the Capitol, they managed to pass a new stopgap bill (sans the ultra-right immigration restrictions and spending cuts) on the last day of the month that extends government funding for 45 days, until mid-November. Despite their distrust of McCarthy and the little time to read over the bill, Democrats cooperated and voted in favor of the measure. It passed 335 to 91, with almost twice as many Democrats supporting the bill than Republicans. The Senate was forced to abandon its own stopgap measure, which included additional aid to Ukraine and was scheduled for a vote later in the day, and accept the last-minute attempt at bipartisanship.
As citizens across all 50 states breathed a sigh of relief, Congress returned to its inner turmoil. McCarthy’s decision to ignore demands from the hard right and approach Democrats with a solution left him more politically vulnerable than ever, and GOP Representative Matt Gaetz’ personal threats to oust him quickly became harsh reality. McCarthy was removed from his position as speaker by a 216-210 majority, with 8 Republicans joining the Democrats in a historic vote that was the first of its kind. Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) acts as the interim speaker, and will conduct the proceedings to elect a new House leader. With only a month and a half to clean up its act before yet another spending deadline, the newfound lack of leadership comes at an unfortunate time. The reckless animosity within and between party lines has distracted Congress from its duty to serve the interests of the American people, and this culminated in a landmark decision that further entangles our legislative branch in a web of its own making. The prosperity of this nation depends not on political titles and partisan interests, but on the cooperative efforts of those who have been chosen to lead it. Congress would do well to remember this.
Sources:
Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time
What is a government shutdown? And why are we likely to have another one? | Brookings
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4212036-house-gop-pulls-key-vote-on-stopgap-spending-bill-amid-conservative-ophttps://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/09/08/right-wing-lawmakers-threaten-government-shutdown-in-2024-spending-talks-heres-how-it-could-affect-americans/?sh=3b55b8db6745position/
Congress moves toward a short-term funding bill to quell fears of a shutdown
Kevin McCarthy Is Out as Speaker of the House. What Happens Now? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)