WASHINGTON (AP) —
United States (US) Congressional leaders are preparing a temporary or stopgap budget bill (RUU) to keep federal government activities running until March and avoid a partial shutdown next week.
This temporary measure will be in effect until March 1 for several federal agencies whose funding will run out on Friday (12/1) and extends the remainder of government operations until March 8.
This was revealed by a person who is familiar with the situation and did not wish to be named to discuss the issue. A number of media also reported on the agreement to maintain government openness.
The interim spending bill, which is expected to be released on Sunday (14/1), will be introduced as US House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has been pressured by right-wing hardliners in recent days to scrap the spending deal. recent bipartisanship with Senate Democrats.
The bill needs the support of the Democratic Party to be passed by the DPR, which has a narrow number of members.
Johnson insisted Friday that he was sticking to the deal he made with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, despite pressure from some conservative groups to renegotiate. On the other hand, moderate groups in the Republican Party have urged Johnson to stick to his guns.
But in his first major test as new leader, Johnson has yet to show how he will quell the right-wing opposition that ousted his predecessor.
“Our main agreement is still in place,” said Johnson, Friday (12/1), referring to the budget agreement reached on January 7.
The agreement sets spending at $1.66 trillion for the next fiscal year, of which $886 billion is earmarked for defense.
Members of the right have criticized the deal, including some of those who helped oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from office last year after reaching a budget deal with Democrats and President Joe Biden.
Some have already threatened motions to oust Johnson over the deal, not even three months after he was elected.
Hard-line right-wing groups are also pushing for the inclusion of new immigration policies, which they say would stem the surge in migrants at the US-Mexico border.
Johnson met with about a dozen Republican lawmakers last week. Most of them were centrists who urged him not to go back on his promise and stick to the deal. Centrists assured Johnson they would support him. (ft)