Short-term solutions are band-aids to bullet holes, but shutdowns harm small business.
Yesterday, the House voted to pass H.R.6363, a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government until early next year.
The bill, which will see Senate consideration soon, would fund agencies under four of the 12 traditional appropriations bills, including: Agriculture and FDA, Energy and Water, Military Construction and the VA, and Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development until Jan. 19, 2024.
The remaining eight appropriations bills spanning: Commerce and the Department of Justice, as well as Science, Defense, Financial Services, and General Government, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Interior and Environment, the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the federal Legislative Branch, and State and Foreign Operations, would be extended through Feb. 2, 2024.
Notably, H.R. 6363 acts as both a laddered CR that Republicans requested, as well as a “clean” legislative vehicle, lacking policy and spending changes that Democrats requested. This bifurcated compromise ensures the federal government will not shut down this Saturday, Nov. 18, and gives Congress an additional 21 legislative days to reach a long-term spending solution.
Despite some positive momentum, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) publicly announced he will not support any additional incremental funding extensions, telling reporters yesterday he is, “…done with short-term CRs.”
For how H.R.6363 passed under majority-Democratic support—the very situation that imperiled former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)—the 21 remaining days (absent weekends and scheduled recesses) for Congress to find a spending solution may prove to not be enough.
NSBA is closely monitoring negotiations on Capitol Hill, and we have repeatedly informed Congressional leaders of the dangers a shutdown would pose to the small business community. Follow us for the latest on the funding debate.